Jerry Vines Preaches John 3:16 Sermon at SBTS
This past Tuesday in chapel at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, former Southern Baptist Convention president Dr. Jerry Vines preached a sermon on John 3:16. This information may interest SBF readers, as Dr. Vines is scheduled to preach a sermon on this text at the upcoming anti-Calvinist John 3:16 Conference. I was sadly unable to attend chapel service this past Tuesday (due to the need to complete work for my Greek exegesis class), but the Said at Southern blog reports that the points of the sermon were as follows:
1. God’s love is global and that it extends to all people.
2. God’s love is sacrificial in that He gave His Son to die for us.
3. God’s love is personal and that Christ died for you.
The sermon can be heard HERE.
Strange BaptistFire 
August 29, 2008 at 11:25 am
One of my professors is offering a 1 or 2 credit hour “workshop” for any student who attends the John 3:16 conference and writes a review of it. He used to be a Calvinist, then was an Arminian, and is currently a Molinist. What’s the next step in that progression? I’m afraid to say…
August 30, 2008 at 1:55 am
I always wonder when there are those that claim to have been a Calvinist if they truly were a historical 5 point Calvinist or did they just emphasize the Sovereignty of God more and thus they thought that made them ‘Calvinist’.
Yeesh…after Molinism I don’t know.
I think Hank Hannagraff (the bible answer man) went through something like this too…but not sure.
August 30, 2008 at 12:27 pm
I would be interested to hear from Dr. Vines’ explanation of how if Jesus has died sacrificially for all of us why people go to hell. If their sin debt has been atoned for then why does God send any to hell? If this explanation has been given I would appreciate a url sent to me.
September 1, 2008 at 4:35 pm
P.D.,
I don’t know if this is Vines’ answer, but I know a common response is that the only sin that Jesus didn’t die for was unbelief. So if someone goes to hell its solely because of their unbelief. Pretty weak I know, but that’s what some folks argue.
September 8, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Jeff,
That is really weak. I wonder how they answer the follow up questions: Did Jesus die for your unbelief? Then: If so, why didn’t he die for the unbelief of others? Or: If not, how were you cleansed of your unbelief so that you have the benefit of John 3:16? and lastly: If Jesus didn’t die for the sin of unbelief, does he have to be crucified again for you when you accept him like as in a Roman Catholic kinda way?
“and is currently a Molinist.” And you told him that he was believing heresy? He isn’t teaching it as an acceptable belief is he? Keathley, the resident SBC self admitted heretic will be at the Junk 3:16 Conference. Funny isn’t it that no one has asked for his job over his promotion of a discredited “open-theism” like Molinism?
August 22, 2010 at 9:09 am
Dear sir.
I have been in the ministry for 30 years. I really do see the big fuss over Dr. Vines sermon. I listened to it last night and thought it a very good sermon.
As far as Calvinist go I don’t know many 5 pointer. I know a few who embrace Arminian but I don’t think Dr. Vines was embracing any of them. He was just preaching on the Love of God. For goodness sake we have better things to do that argue over a sermon on the love of God
August 26, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Rev. Jackson,
I’m not sure if your comment is addressed to me (I posted the article) or another commenter above. I assure you that I was not intending to make a “big fuss” over the sermon, but only posted the link and outline because it might be of interest to readers.
re: “For goodness sake we have better things to do that argue over a sermon on the love of God”
-I’m sympathetic to your statement to a degree, but would like to point out that your comment offers arguments concerning a sermon on the love of God, which seems a little self-contradictory.
In Christ,
-Andrew Lindsey