Dr. Adrian Rogers is now in glory. He has left a wonderful legacy in the cause of Christ. Without question, speaker and author in the Body of Christ. I have a great deal of respect for him. That does not mean I always agreed with him.
On the subject of Divine election and predestination, I and many others would have loved to see Pastor Rogers engage in a publicly moderated debate which allowed for cross examination. I believe it would have been incredibly helpful for people to see the two sides represented in a respectful and formal setting, where rhetoric can be examined and arguments evaluated in the light of Scripture. Alas, Pastor Rogers was never interested in such an exhange. However, all is not lost and the next best thing is for someone to take Dr. Rogers’ own words on the subject and then provide a point by point response or rebuttal. Some years ago (while Adrian Rogers was still with us) Dr. James White did exactly that. I remember finding the “interchange” extremely useful.
I am glad to see this exchange now available on youtube video. If you can carve out an hour and a half to view this (below), I believe you will find this to be a fruitful use of your time. I recommend this highly. It is so important we examine our traditions in the light of Scripture.
How does knowledge of the doctrine of election encourage/help those who are praying for lost loved ones? So many times, when discussing this doctrine for the first time, people feel discouraged and even desperate over the fact that someone that they love may or may not be elect. How can the truth of God’s election encourage someone who is praying that God will save a loved one?