Dr. John Gerstner was a professor of church history at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and an expert on Reformed theology, especially the works of Jonathan Edwards. He was also a dear friend and mentor to Dr. R.C. Sproul.
Dr. Gerstner went on to teach theology, philosophy, and apologetics at the Ligonier Valley Study Center founded by Dr. Sproul. He wrote many books, including Primitive Theology, a collection of primers on fundamental biblical doctrines. In addition, he recorded several video teaching series with Ligonier Ministries, including a one-hundred-message overview of systematic theology. Known as an ardent defender of Christian orthodoxy, Dr. Gerstner also served on the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy.
Thank You Lord for the work You did in John Gerstner 🙏 For the many blessings You have given to me, an undeserving sinner, Your Grace, Mercy and Love are clearly evident and i cannot be thankful enough.
Lutherans are NOT consubstantiationists! This is always a false accusation by those who do not delve deep into sacramental theology. Consubstantiation is the teaching that the two things create a new thing, and this we do not teach. We simply, simply believe what Jesus says, "THIS [bread] IS my body/THIS [wine] IS my blood." Case closed. If you reject His words here, you are literally calling Jesus a liar. Lutherans are not Magisterial but Ministerial in our biblical hermeneutics. This is the fundamental difference between us and Calvinists or Armenians. We don't need the Bible to be logical by human standards. We are sinful human beings and our brains are but specks of nothing compared to the Lord's mind. Who can comprehend Him? So, we read the Scripture ministerially and say simply, "thus saith the Lord," and even when it seems to not be logical, we assume God's logic is greater than ours.
It's so enlightening,thank you Lord for using this humble man for us to know you in depth and grow in our relationship with you by the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
What jimmy page was to the guitar, Jonathan edwards is to theology What Thomas Edison was to the light bulb, Jonathan edwards is to the knowledge of the word. What Ron Jeremy was to the adult movie industry, Jonathan edwards is to insight spiritual revelation.
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
He is the master of all but He didn’t choose all. This parable is not about church people. God choose His people from the foundation of the world, so it’s not of works that any should boast but by grace through faith and repentance
To be baptized, a person must have awareness of his sins and his need for a Savior, repenting of his actions (Acts 2:36-38; Rom. 3:23; 6:23). He must hear the word of God (Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 1:16; 10:14-17) and believe its testimony that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:30-31, Mark 16:16) who died on the cross and was raised from the dead to provide redemption for mankind (John 3:16; Rom. 5:6-10). He must confess this belief publicly (Rom. 10:9, Acts 8:26-40). A baby is incapable of doing these things. A baby taken by his parents to be baptized is not a Christian baby, just a wet baby. An actual baptism has not occurred. Baptizing a baby with the notion of making it a child of God reduces baptism to nothing more than a work. Mere works absent of faith cannot save. Moreover, it is a work performed on an individual by a third party, without his consent, or even his knowledge.
13:15 “but not… reason and will” The effect of sin on our rational faculties (Roman’s 1) seems to be the distinguishing difference of classical and presuppositional apologetics. 24:07 “Aquinas” Luther’s theologian of glory. Last one for the road: “Occam does not believe that we can prove the existence of God by natural reason. Occam did think that the existence of God could be rendered probable by natural reason, but he did not think that the truths of revelation such as the Trinity were even intelligible to natural reason. They could be known only by revelation and through faith.” - John Frame It’s interesting that if Gerstner employed Occam’s razor on Occam, he would have agreed with Frame, and would see Luther as more than a useful idiot.
Far be it from me to take issue with anything stated by Dr Gerstner but, the special emphasis on 1 John 3:6 seems misplaced since it must be patently obvious to all that no one except Jesus ever lived a sinless life - while we are called to be holy as He was holy, grace saves us frmo the penalty of sin since we exchange our sin for the righteousness of Christ - it is not by anything we do but by what Christ has done that saves us - in effect, it can be said that Christians do lead sinless lives since we are covered by the perfect righteousness of Christ - this does not allow Christians to deliberately and habitually continue in sinful behavior since such people have to call into question if in fact they really are Christians - though we are saved by Grace, it must be recalled that while Grace is the root, works must be the fruit or you cannot call yourself rooted in Christ in the first place
I don't quite understand what Gerstner is saying because I'm not educated and intellectually gifted as he is. Can someone please help me and explain it simply? Is he saying, in his view, that people choose to sin out of "ignorance"? I agree with his view that Eve took the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil "ignorantly" because they were pre-fallen, made "good", and actually had free will (unlike us), so they sinned in child-like "ignorance". That does not negate the consequences of their sin however, because God is Holy and perfect, and He is a perfect judge. But I disagree with him on this side of the fall, and take Edward's view, that people (like the drunkard) choose to sin because they willfully and choosingly ignore the consequences of sin. They don't choose ignorantly despite the temporary benefits and satisfaction to sin, for they are also aware of the consequences, their own consciouses bearing witness, that it is sin, but because they (we) are bonded to sin and chained to our greatest inclinations, wills, and desires, we will always choose sin - unless we are born again. Does this make sense? I know even Gerstner will disagree, because he also believes in original sin, but I'm trying to grasp his view.
tragic tertullian.. ive relistened to this lecture many times. "unnecessary separation" is an important lesson to learn from history. imo *every* protestant ought desire to rejoin and be in union with church universal, and i have my opinion on where that is...
I am not persuaded that there is a fiery burning hell into which sinners are eternally cast - rather, I believe, and there is scope in Biblical reference, that hell will be eternal separation from God - God gives to these sinners what they want - that being Him out of their lives - no burning hell, no eternal torture; simply eternal separation from God with no chance for bridging that separation. This will be worse than the popular concept of a burning fiery hell.
To be baptized, a person must have awareness of his sins and his need for a Savior, repenting of his actions (Acts 2:36-38; Rom. 3:23; 6:23). He must hear the word of God (Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 1:16; 10:14-17) and believe its testimony that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:30-31, Mark 16:16) who died on the cross and was raised from the dead to provide redemption for mankind (John 3:16; Rom. 5:6-10). He must confess this belief publicly (Rom. 10:9, Acts 8:26-40). A baby is incapable of doing these things. A baby taken by his parents to be baptized is not a Christian baby, just a wet baby. An actual baptism has not occurred. Baptizing a baby with the notion of making it a child of God reduces baptism to nothing more than a work. Mere works absent of faith cannot save. Moreover, it is a work performed on an individual by a third party, without his consent, or even his knowledge.
If we start from the NT only and do not properly take into account the movement of redemptive history, then yes, one will most probably end up with credobaptism. However, when we realise there is an already existing people of God, a continued olive tree (Israel) of which the gentiles are ingrafted (Romans 11:17) meaning we are the ones entering and partaking of the covenants and the promises as well, knowing that infants have been included into the covenant and its promoses since the days of Abraham (circumcision), then there is legitimacy for infant baptism. The New covenant promises includes children, mind you, these have spoken to the people of Israel, which had their children included since Abraham! (Jeremiah 32:38-40, Isaiah 59:21, Ezekiel 37:24-28 and a lot more examples). These promises are given to children as well just as Acts 2:38-39 makes very clear. Very sadly, our Baptist brethren put infants out without Biblical warrant without taking continuation into consideration. I also thought like this as former Baptist, but once we see the continuation, children are without a doubt included, and hence must be given the sign and seal of the (New) covenant, namely baptism. God bless.
@@janpiet1530 The argument that Acts 2:38-39 says the promise is “to their children” is a desperate misuse of the term. It means their descendants who also “gladly receive the word” (Acts 2:41) and would seek to “be saved from this perverse generation.” We are always “children” of our parents no matter how old we are, but the people the promise is talking to are any future descendants who also “call on the name of the Lord” in their repentance and baptism. Babies are not calling and repenting. When they come to first “know the Lord” and become convicted in heart about their sinful and lost condition, they will want the circumcision of God, and will voluntarily ask to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. They enter the New Covenant after first “knowing the Lord.” In the Old Covenant, you were circumcised at 8 days old and later taught to know the Lord. So, the above argument is just another contrived argument to try to justify forcing babies into an act that adults impose on them with no knowledge of God in their hearts, and that is not the will of God.
Babies are not subject to God's command for baptism because no command was given to them, they could not understand the need nor meaning, they could not comply (perform the necessary actions nor hold the proper attitudes) and they have no sin to be washed away. One cannot obey God by proxy; no parent can obey God for a child; no child can make peace with God for a parent (Ezekiel 18:4,20).
Baptism for the remission of sins is certainly necessary to salvation (Acts 2:38), and every case of conversion in Acts specifically records that they were baptized. Baptism is the event in which a penitent believer completes the obedience necessary to be saved (see Heb. 5:9). The Scriptures clearly show that baptism stands squarely between the sinner and the forgiveness of sins. But the practice of infant baptism is not authorized in the New Testament. Its origin is with men, not God. And there is no evidence in the New Testament to show that the apostles ever baptized anyone who was too young to hear the gospel, believe it, and repent of his sins.
Sinners do not seek Christ - they nail Him to a cross - only after the intervention of the Holy Spirit, raising the sinner from the "dead" do they then seek after, and find, Christ - no sinner can come to Christ of his/her own volition and none can resist the regenerative of power of the Holy Spirit - thank God this is so otherwise we would all be dead
And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. -Jeremiah 29:13 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. -John 3:16 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out. -Acts 3:19 If you are in North America, please go check out any of the churches available to you: PCA, OPC, Rpcna, Urcna, or a canrc church (These are conservative and actual Presbyterian/Reformed churches) If you can’t find one of the conservative presby churches then, maybe an Lcms Lutheran church. If you’re Scottish, I recommend the Free Church of Scotland and the APC. (Different from the Church of Scotland) If you’re English I recommend the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England & Wales and the Free Church of England (Different from the Church of England) Also online you can look up church finders for each of the groups, it will show you locations. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. -Hebrews 10:24-25
And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. - Jeremiah 29:13 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. -John 3:16 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out. -Acts 3:19 If you are in North America, please go check out any of the churches available to you: PCA, OPC, Rpcna, Urcna, or a canrc church (These are conservative and actual Presbyterian/Reformed churches) If you can’t find one of the conservative presby churches then, maybe an Lcms Lutheran church. If you’re Scottish, I recommend the Free Church of Scotland and the APC. (Different from the Church of Scotland) If you’re English I recommend the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England & Wales and the Free Church of England (Different from the Church of England) Also online you can look up church finders for each of the groups, it will show you locations. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. -Hebrews 10:24-25
And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. -Jeremiah 29:13 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. -John 3:16 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out. -Acts 3:19 If you are in North America, please go check out any of the churches available to you: PCA, OPC, Rpcna, Urcna, or a canrc church (These are conservative and actual Presbyterian/Reformed churches) If you can’t find one of the conservative presby churches then, maybe an Lcms Lutheran church. If you’re Scottish, I recommend the Free Church of Scotland and the APC. (Different from the Church of Scotland) If you’re English I recommend the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England & Wales and the Free Church of England (Different from the Church of England) Also online you can look up church finders for each of the groups, it will show you locations. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. - Hebrews 10:24-25
And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. -Jeremiah 29:13 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. -John 3:16 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out. -Acts 3:19 If you are in North America, please go check out any of the churches available to you: PCA, OPC, Rpcna, Urcna, or a canrc church (These are conservative and actual Presbyterian/Reformed churches) If you can’t find one of the conservative presby churches then, maybe an Lcms Lutheran church. If you’re Scottish, I recommend the Free Church of Scotland and the APC. (Different from the Church of Scotland) If you’re English I recommend the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England & Wales and the Free Church of England (Different from the Church of England) Also online you can look up church finders for each of the groups, it will show you locations. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. - Hebrews 10:24-25
And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. -Jeremiah 29:13 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. -John 3:16 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out. -Acts 3:19 If you are in North America, please go check out any of the churches available to you: PCA, OPC, Rpcna, Urcna, or a canrc church (These are conservative and actual Presbyterian/Reformed churches) If you can’t find one of the conservative presby churches then, maybe an Lcms Lutheran church. If you’re Scottish, I recommend the Free Church of Scotland and the APC. (Different from the Church of Scotland) If you’re English I recommend the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England & Wales and the Free Church of England (Different from the Church of England) Also online you can look up church finders for each of the groups, it will show you locations. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. - Hebrews 10:24-25
Of course the Godhead is sovereign in the predestination and regeneration of all Christians - if left to humanity, all we would do is sin - the problem is the majority of professing Christians believe they themselves chose to be saved
How many of you keeping his commandments???🤔🤔🤔 If God is the judge most likely the answer is none. Is this what a gospel or good news means? Do you feel good after you answer that question? Do you feel saved and secure? No, you do not because you can't keep his commandments, and you can try but you know you can't unless you come out of that flesh. This kind of preaching will never make you feel loved and secure but make you anxious and distant from your father. Go read the verse yourself and see the truth. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10If you keep👉 My commandments👈, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11“These things I have spoken to you, that 👉My joy 👈may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 👉👉👉12This is My commandment,👈👈👈 👉👉👉 that you love one another as I have loved you.👈👈 13Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14You are My friends if you do whatever I command you ❤❤❤
