Dr. James A. Nestingen – Luther’s “On the Bondage of the Will”
Categories: CTS, Media, Pastoral Ministry, Preaching, Seminary
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CTS was pleased to have Dr. James Arne Nestingen as a visiting professor for a two-week intensive term course on “Luther and Walther on Law and Gospel” this January. Dr. Nestingen has distinguished himself with long service to the church as a parish pastor in Oregon and Canada, an editor at Augsburg Publishing House, and as a professor at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. Now retired, Dr. Nestingen is in demand as a speaker in the USA and abroad. He is leading voice of the confessional movement within the ELCA. Dr. Nestingen is the author of Martin Luther: A Life and co-editor with Robert Kolb of Sources and Context of the Book of Concord. While at CTS, Dr. Nestingen spoke on the significance of Luther’s On the Bondage of the Will for preaching and pastoral care at a fireside chat. We think that you will enjoy and be edified by his words.
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April 6th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
2Corinthians 5:20-
We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.
Though the talk was VERY interesting… I must convey my disagreement. The Gospel is not solely a "declaration" upon sinners who listen to it- That would be entirely throwing away REPENTANCE… There can be no salvation without repentance-
Are we to say now that Paul was a "Decision Theologian" because he conveys GOD'S APPEAL to reconciliation? Sometimes the Bondage of the Will, if applied too forcefully, can actually DESTROY the Gospel.
The natural man has NO POWER to choose God- but somehow, mysteriously, through the call and power of the Holy Spirit men are ABLE TO ACCEPT this precious Gospel. God does not "repent and believe" for us…he empowers us to do so.
Interestingly, our Lord begins his ministry (according to Mark) by saying: "Repent."
April 21st, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Excellent stuff. I wish I could have been there. I had a cup of coffee with Dr. Nestingen in Hancock, MI in 1998, when he spoke on Confession and Absolution at the ELCA church there, a topic which brought out all of the Finnish Lutherans up dere in da U.P., eh!
A good man, like Forde.
July 1st, 2009 at 4:58 pm
As a former student of Dr. Nestingen, having taken his Church History, Lutheran Confession (with Dr. Paulson), and his Confession Absolution course, this was an absolute and genuine piece of faithful teaching. I think it was Barth who said that preaching is like holding a newspaper in one hand and the Holy Scriptures in another. Dr. Nestingen embodies that with his teaching of faith (Lutheran), and relating biblical and theological premises and doctrines to everyday life! It was pure Gold! Thanks for placing the video on here!
April 19th, 2010 at 10:29 pm
God does not "empower" us to do anything. That is like saying that God gives us the ability to be a god. There is nothing in me that God mysteriously makes good enough to repent. This is a work of God that is done to us. He does not come 99% of the way and we come the other 1%. He comes to us at 100%. You are denying the FREE gift of the gospel if you make it even a little bit of a work! Don't let your reason get in the way of God's truth.
October 21st, 2011 at 6:10 pm
You are blatantly wrong. No one is saying that man meets God 1% of the way by his own strength! What I am doing is ending the cycle of thoughtlessly regurgitating the accepted "norm" which is not only illogical, it is heretical. The Early Church Fathers talked about INCARNATIONAL SOTERIOLOGY: meaning, that the Savior immersed himself in our humanity and brought us to the right hand of the Father. To ignore the appeal to "be reconciled" and to "repent" with a veneer of mindless Calvinism is the actual heresy that insults the dignity that humans have by virtue of being created in God's image!
The Bible teaches no such thing- and shame on those who would prefer to receive the "Lutheran" pat on the back rather than being more concerned with Sola Scriptura.
I reject the notion that those who hear the Gospel are not "empowered" to come to repentance. Amazingly, even in Holy Communion- which is the Gospel in Action- Jesus Christ says: TAKE and eat. TAKE and drink!
You choose to deny the plain words of Scripture, just like the Calvinists.
March 22nd, 2012 at 12:25 pm
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March 22nd, 2012 at 12:26 pm
[...] offers insights into the relevance of this doctrine for pastoral care and preaching. Check it out:PODCAST: Dr. James A. Nestingen – Luther’s “On the Bondage of the Will†| C… CTS was pleased to have Dr. James Arne Nestingen as a visiting professor for a two-week intensive [...]