If there is one topic that Dr. John Walvoord always left before his students, it was the grace of God. Although he was well known for his many writings on eschatology, Dr. Walvoord not only often preached about grace, he lived it. He would tell us it was the most important topic of study and the most important thing to show in our lives. God’s grace and faithfulness should lead to our grace and faithfulness.
Dr. Walvoord lived out that grace before us all. Even as president of a large and growing seminary, he had time for appointments with students and encouraged us to come see him if we had questions about what he was teaching in class. When the time came for the president of the seminary to speak in chapel, he often encouraged us with a word about God’s grace and goodness and the need for the church to be sure that the message of salvation in Jesus Christ alone made it out into a needy world. He always reminded us to make this grace our most central message.
He and his wife, Geraldine, ministered together as she was dedicated to making sure that the wives of the Seminary students (all men in those days) were also prepared for ministry. Here stood a great man of God with a character that pointed to God’s work and grace. His integrity was also an example. For 65 years he faithfully served His Lord by leading by example in the training of students at Dallas Seminary.
In the last chapel I heard him speak at last fall, his enthusiasm was as great about God’s grace as when I first heard him speak as a first-year Seminary student. To love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself is the greatest of the commandments according to our Lord. There is no greater tribute or expression of appreciation one can give to a great saint than to say thank you for exhibiting what following the Lord’s command looks like in real life. Thank you, Dr. Walvoord, for showing what the grace of God can do in the life of a faithful servant.
—A former student
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See our Dec. 23 obituary for Dr. John Walvoord.
