John Gerstner

Folks, when we fail to talk about hell, we remove perhaps the greatest incentive people have for accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ.

John Gerstner, the theologian, said it this way when he talked about using hell as a motivation with people.

He said, the fear of hell is the only thing most likely to get worldly people thinking about the kingdom of God.

No rational human being can be convinced that he is in imminent danger of everlasting torment and do nothing about it.

... let me give you a...

In a debate that took place 40 years ago at Dallas Theological Seminary, it was between Norman Geisler, my mentor, and a guy by the name of John Gerstner, and at one point Geisler turned to Gerstner and he says, he said, "Does man have free will?" And Gerstner said, "Yes.

Man has free will to do what he desires, but God gives him the desire of his heart."

[laughs]

And if we live in the power of His victory, if we put on His armor, His strength, then we can stand.

I love the way John Gerstner, American theologian who's now with the Lord, really the one who trained R.C. Sproul, Gerstner writes this, that Adam, in all his pristine glory, made in the spotless image of God with holiness, righteousness, and knowledge, was able to be brought to ruin by satanic temptation, proved that we never of ourselves are able not to sin.

Think about it.

Adam had every conceivable advantage.