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In this excerpt from John Gerstner's Primitive Theology, Dr. Gerstner carefully sketches the basic differences between Evangelicalism and Roman Catholicism, focusing on the differing views on justification. Over the coming days we will highlight this unique resource. ***** Several years ago, a Presbyterian-turned-Romanist wrote a book detailing his journey to “Rome Sweet Home.” I maintain, “Rome is Not Home.” Let me explain. Rome affirms the Bible and its account of the creation of Adam and Eve, their temptation, and the fall of mankind by the disobedience of Adam. So Rome agrees with most Protestants that this is a fallen world...

*Reformed Christians are defined as those holding membership in: The Great Reformed Ping List (GRPL) Or Those who are members in the following Churches: APC, ARP, BPC, CARC, CARPC, CREC, EPC, FRCNA, HRC, OPC, PCA, RPCNA, URCNA, ARBCA, Founders SBC, RCUS Or Subscribe to one of the following The Augsburg Confession, The Three Forms of Unity, The London Baptist Confession of 1689, The Westminster Confession of Faith ______________________________________________________________ THE LESSONS ARE OVER. Now comes the homework. This is the “lab” part of the course. Here is where you learn by doing, having learned by reading. Jesus tells us that, in...

*Reformed Christians are defined as those holding membership in: The Great Reformed Ping List (GRPL) Or Those who are members in the following Churches: APC, ARP, BPC, CARC, CARPC, CREC, EPC, FRCNA, HRC, OPC, PCA, RPCNA, URCNA, ARBCA, Founders SBC, RCUS Or Subscribe to one of the following The Augsburg Confession, The Three Forms of Unity, The London Baptist Confession of 1689, The Westminster Confession of Faith And Are not "Calvinists in the Tradition of Arminius," "Arminians in the tradition of Calvin," or any other affiliation more commonly known as Remonstrants. CHAPTER X I. Modern Views of the Future EDWYN...

THERE ARE FUNDAMENTALLY two views of the church. There are variations of these and mixtures of them, but fundamentally only two views. This division runs through the various denominations or “churches” as we shall see. I. The Church Defined as Visible The first conception of the church may be stated as follows: It is that body of persons who (1) profess faith in Christ, (2) are subordinate to properly appointed officers, and (3) associate with those of like profession and practice. We must consider these items separately. First, they profess faith in Christ. This usually signifies more than saying they...

UP TO THIS POINT our interest has been in coming to Christ. We have considered our lost condition by nature, our need of a Saviour, and Christ’s remarkable qualifications for that role, and the way by which we are persuaded of it. But now we address ourselves to the question of how we know that we have truly come to Christ, or how we know that we truly know Christ. Conceivably a person could come to Christ without being certain that he is actually united to him. Presumably, a person could think that he had come to Christ without really...

CHAPTER VII CHRISTIAN PERFECTION is an ideal for which we must all strive. Although there is a double standard of morality in Romish theology, Protestant Christianity knows no such distinction. The priesthood of all believers is a well-known Reformation principle. The perfection of all believers (as a duty) is another cardinal Protestant principle. Some professed Protestants expect their ministers to be perfect, while they think of themselves as under a less demanding ideal. Officers of the church are expected to strive for the ideal, which for the others is regarded as a mere word. Officers cannot for a moment allow...

CHAPTER VI FROM CHAPTER 1:18 to 3:20 of the Epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul seeks to demonstrate the universal sinfulness of men. He shows the wrath of God revealed against the heathen because they would not have God in their thinking. He shows that the nominally religious people of Israel, by their condemning other persons for sins of which they were also guilty, were treasuring up “wrath against the day of wrath.” In the third chapter Paul shows that all have gone astray. “There is none that doeth good.” With the law or without the law, men have...

The Seeker's Prayer How should lost people pray in order to be saved? The Seeker's Prayer by Dr. John Gerstner In volume 3 of The Rational Biblical Theology of Jonathan Edwards John Gerstner, an Edwardian scholar, sets forth Edwards’ doctrine of “seeking.” It is a very helpful section in understanding Jonathan Edwards’ puritan roots in evangelism. Gerstner surveys the doctrine of “seeking” systematically through Edwards’ writings and sermons, even his unpublished sermons that are still not available to the public. In the midst of such a survey, Gerstner created a hypothetical letter for an unregenerate seeker to pray based upon...

CHAPTER V I. Christ’s Agony Gethsemane was the place of Christ’s exquisite torment. Here we see the Man of Sorrows acquainted with grief. Matthew tells us that after the last supper with His apostles He began to be sorrowful. At the supper He had been full of joy. Though the supper represented vividly to Him the death He was to accomplish on the morrow, He was still very happy because He was with His own. His sorrow then was sublimated in a sense of the joy that should follow. Here feasting with Him were the very ones for whom He...

CHAPTER IV WE HAD AN INTERESTING PROFESSOR at Harvard University who used to attempt to introduce Christ to his classes. In attendance, he would have, in addition to the divinity school men, a number of the regular university students. The latter were often totally ignorant of Christ. This fact, far from dismaying the professor, rather pleased him; for from these students he got what he liked to call “the virgin reaction” to Jesus. The theological students, having been acquainted with Jesus before, could only afford the philosophy of the second glance. But Dr. H. J. Cadbury, who himself had studied...

CHAPTER III SPEAKING OF GOD’S PROVIDENCE, we noticed sin incidentally. We now bring it into focus. One cannot think of God’s holy ways without thinking of our unholy ones. We cannot think of ourselves without thinking of our sin. Sin is the most important conviction any man can have. It is a bad theology which thinks man good. Any good theology must start with man as bad. In the opening verses of chapter two of Ephesians, Paul describes unconverted persons by many different expressions. They are called “dead through trespasses and sins”; they are seen as walking in the “course...

ACCORDING TO the Westminster Shorter Catechism, “God’s works of providence are, his most holy, wise, powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.” This comprehensive statement says that God’s providence encompasses all and not merely some of the acts of His creatures. Such a definition would include big events and trifles as well — good things, but also evil. Does not Jeremiah teach the same doctrine? “Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?” (Lam. 3:37). Is Acts 15:18 any different? “Known unto God are all his works from...

LAYMEN SOMETIMES THINK they need not be theologians. That, however, is a very great mistake. They do need to be theologians; at least, they should be amateur theologians. In fact, that is the one vocation every man is obliged to follow. A layman does not need to be a plumber, a carpenter, a lawyer, a doctor, a teacher, a laborer, a housewife. These are all possibilities, not necessities. A layman may be one of these or the other as he chooses. But he must be a theologian. This is not an option with him but a requirement. I. A Theologian...

IBM Chairman Lou Gerstner has been named chair of private equity company The Carlyle Group, a role he'll assume shortly after leaving his Big Blue post at year's end. Gerstner will join Carlyle on Jan. 7, the company announced Thursday, offering strategic advice, lending perspective to the management of Carlyle's portfolio companies and reviewing Carlyle's global investments. Gerstner will also serve on the company's various committees. "Carlyle is a world-class firm with an outstanding record of achievement--a record built on a strong, global business base and a team of creative, focused professionals," Gerstner said in a statement. "This is...