#louis berkhof

[set-apart-path]

The spiritual development of man is not a human achievement, but a work of divine grace.

Louis Berkhof

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Strictly speaking, it may be said that the true preaching of the Word and its recognition as the standard of doctrine and life, is the one mark of the Church. Without it there is no Church.

Louis Berkhof

[semperreformanda]

It is a consoling thought that Christ is praying for us, even when we are negligent in our prayer life; that He is presenting to the Father those spiritual needs which were not present to our minds and which we often neglect to include in our prayers; and that He prays for our protection against the dangers of which we are not even conscious, and against the enemies which threaten us, though we do not notice it. He is praying that our faith may not cease, and that we may come out victoriously in the end.

Louis Berkhof

[king-atlas]

Soteriology deals with the communication of the blessings of salvation to the sinner and his restoration to divine favor and to a life in intimate communion with God. It presupposes knowledge of God as the all-sufficient source of the life, the strength, and the happiness of mankind, and of man’s utter dependence on Him for the present and the future.

from Louis Berkhof’s Systematic Theology

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The denial of the doctrine of perseverance (of the saints) virtually makes the salvation of man dependent on the human will rather than on the grace of God. This consideration will, of course, have no effect on those who share the Pelagian conception of salvation as autosoteric — and their numbers are great — but certainly ought to cause those to pause who glory in being saved by grace. The idea is that, after man is brought to a state of grace by the operation of the Holy Spirit alone, or by the joint operation of the Holy Spirit and the will of man, it rests solely with man to continue in faith or to forsake the faith, just as he sees fit. This renders the cause of man very precarious and makes it impossible for him to attain to the blessed assurance of faith. - Louis Berkhof (Systematic Theology)

[icannotbejondenden47]

Strictly speaking, it may be said that the true preaching of the Word and its recognition as the standard of doctrine and life, is the one mark of the Church. Without it there is no Church. Louis Berkhof

[thenewgeneva]

Is Sanctification Monergistic or Synergistic? Why It Matters

As Calvinists grow in their understanding of the doctrines of grace they eventually ask “Is sanctification monergistic or synergistic?” In today’s post, @TheRealTony777 discusses this question and why the answer is important:

As Calvinists grow in their understanding of the doctrines of grace, the question is often asked whether sanctification is monergistic or synergistic. Some may wonder if it even matters, but this is an important question with significant theological ramifications. If we misunderstand the nature of sanctification, we face the danger of having a flawed view of the nature of justification. Having a…

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[musicgoon]

Book Review: Systematic Theology, by Louis Berkhof

Louis Berkhof’s Systematic Theology is his magnum opus, deserved to be read by serious students of God’s Word. Originally published in 1958, Banner of Truth’s expanded edition contains Berkhof’s Introductory Volume, which was designed to be read together with the Systematic Theology itself.

Doctrine and Discussion

The 200-page introductory volume contains two sections: The Idea and History of Dogmatic Theology and The Principia of Dogmatics. Most interesting to me was the discussion on “The Seat of Religion.” Berkhof asks where the real seat of religion is in the human soul in order to understand its proper nature. He says that it has its seat in (1) the intellect, (2) the will, (3) the feelings, and (4) the heart. Berkhof sees the whole man as subservient to God in every sphere of life.

The Systematic Theology proper is divided into six parts: (1) The doctrine of God, (2) The doctrine of man in relation to God, (3) The doctrine of the person and work of Christ, (4) The doctrine of the application of the work of redemption, (5) The doctrine of the church and of the means of grace, and (6) The doctrine of the last things.

Pointed and Brief, Thoroughly Reformed

I found Berkhof to be characteristically pointed and brief. This is shown when he is able to give various viewpoints for different arguments. For instance, when speaking of "the so-called rational proofs for the existence of God," he is able to distill the ontological argument, the cosmological argument, the teleological argument, the moral argument, and the historical or ethnological argument to their main points.

To be sure, Berkhof is thoroughly Reformed. For instance, when speaking about common grace, Berkhof states that “Reformed theology does not, like Arminian theology, regard the doctrine of common grace as a part of Soteriology.” His questions for further study help the reader to think through his arguments, and his referenced literature often finds Bavinck and Kuyper at the forefront.

Theological Depth and God-Exalting Delight

Aeshetically, this is a handsome cloth-bound book, presenting a distinguished and classic look that is iconic for Banner of Truth. With a page count of 1,048 pages, this is a hefty volume that will entice you to serious study.

Berkhof’s Systematic Theology is a self-contained work that is beautifully coherent and brilliantly cohesive. It is the first you will want to consult for brevity and breadth, and it is one you will want to return to for theological depth and God-exalting delight.

I received a media copy of Systematic Theology and this is my honest review. Find more of my book reviews and follow Dive In, Dig Deep on Instagram - my account dedicated to Bibles and books to see the beauty of the Bible and the role of reading in the Christian life. To read all of my book reviews and to receive all of the free eBooks I find on the web, subscribe to my free newsletter.