Summary

This is an 11 chapter work on various theological issues. These chapters are basically 3 and 4 point teachings or sermons that are shorter in nature.

Evaluation by David Cox

This is basically sermons, and Dr. Gerstner is a Reformed Theologian. I understand his effort here, but the reader should very clearly understand that this is not an elaborate Systematic Theology book, but just 11 sermons on theology, which in themselves are very good. Shortness or being an overview is their strong point. I recommend this work although I usually put a warning on Reformed and Calvinistic authors. I did not find that his single chapter on “God’s Providence” not to be a heavy belaboring of the points of Calvinism, but fair treatment. Frankly, I think that as humans we must “back off” or “take a step back from” election, predestination, and the rest of that. Simply put, there are a lot of the things in the eternal mind that we cannot fathom here and now, and probably never, even in heaven. We should note generally what God says about it, but refrain from doing intensive logistics on that, making a lot of speculation that we simply cannot say for sure. What may seem logic to us, or illogical to us, is perfect for God, or “beyond us.” The disciples could not understand the logic of Jesus going to Jerusalem knowing that his enemies would plot to kill him, and Jesus says as a prophet, “and they will kill me, for I go to die”. While that was beyond men’s reasoning then, today we understand it better. I like Gerstner’s work, and the one “great” fault I find with it is that I wish he had elaborated his thoughts for a work 10 times larger. I recommend this work.

Chapter Content of Theology for Everyman

Everyman Must be a Theologian
God’s Providence: A Two-edged Sword
Sin Makes No Racial Distinctions
Jesus Christ: The God-Man
Atonement: How Jesus Paid It All
Justification by Faith: Twofold Salvation
Sanctification: Christianizing the Christian
Assurance: How We Know That We Know Christ
The Church: Body of Christ
The Future: Gulf Between Two Worlds
The Way: Straight and Narrow

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