Biblical and Religious Psychology (eBook)
$19.95
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The great Reformed theologian Herman Bavinck (1854–1921) was famous for his study of many disciplines, including psychology. The pinnacle of his studies in theological psychology is Biblical and Religious Psychology. The book is divided into two parts which work in harmony to cultivate a theological anthropology that attends to who man psychologically is, in relation to God, according to both special and general revelation. Both readers acquainted with Bavinck and new readers will be captivated by the author’s typically rich and erudite style.
Biblical and Religious Psychology, translated by Herman Hanko and edited by Gregory Parker Jr, with revisions by Annemarieke Ryskamp, is an enlightening and stimulating work that will help all readers think more deeply about the relationship between theology and psychology and appreciate the theological complexities of being human.
What others are saying about the book:
In recent years there has been a renewal of interest in a “theological psychology.” While a rift may have existed in the recent past between theology and psychology, this has not always been the case. Herman Bavinck was one of many theologians who thought deeply about the connection between these two disciplines. He did this in a time when psychology was asserting itself as a science. For anyone interested in how one can put the words “biblical” and “psychology” together, this is an important work to consider. The readers will find themselves challenged and encouraged to take up the task of constructing a “theological psychology” anew. – Cameron Clausing, lecturer in applied theology and missional engagement at Christ College (Sydney, Australia)
This book showcases Bavinck’s attentiveness to the empirical granularity of biblical teaching on humanity. Further, the text represents Bavinckʼs mature writings on these topics, so readers who want a fuller picture of his reflections on the issue cannot neglect reading these texts. The editors and translators should be celebrated for bringing this accessible yet profound work to a wider audience, and the incisive introduction by John Bolt makes it all the more worthwhile. Take up and read! – N. Gray Sutanto, assistant professor of systematic theology of Reformed Theological Seminary (Washington D.C.), author of God and Knowledge: Herman Bavinck’s Theological Epistemology, cotranslator and coeditor of Herman Bavinck’s Christian Worldview
Bavinck spent his career as a theologian thinking about the human subject. Here you get his final thoughts on the psyche, consciousness, and particularly what the Bible teaches about human beings and how we respond to God’s presence. This is the work of the mature Bavinck, which makes it worth paying attention to. – Cory Brock, minister in the Free Church of Scotland at St. Columba’s (Edinburgh) and lecturer in systematic theology and preaching at Edinburgh Theological Seminary
As the 20th century dawned, the discipline of psychology celebrated its emancipation from the Bible and theology. As the new psychology was explaining more and more of the human experience, the rich, previously theologically informed constructs such as soul, spirit, and heart were being reduced to mere consciousness that could be measured in a laboratory. The divorce between psychology and theology seemed to be final. However, thanks to the work of Hanko, Ryskamp and Parker, we now know this was not the case. In their very readable translation of Bavinckʼs Biblical and Religious Psychology, we see that Bavinck was still trying to carve out a place for a theological informed psychology. Not only will this volume be of historical benefit, but Bavinck’s treatment of the human soul in all of its fullness can and should inform contemporary psychology-theology integration discussions. – Bryan N. Maier, associate professor of Psychology and Counseling at Cairn University
When framed in a biblical anthropology, psychology as the study of human soul activity is a necessary and valuable tool for educating children. – John Bolt, "Introduction," professor emeritus of Calvin Theological Seminary and editor of Herman Bavinck's Reformed Dogmatics (Gereformeerde Dogmatiek)
I consider this material to be of such interest and help, especially to those who are engaged in the work of teaching covenant children, that a translation and publication of it is worthwhile in spite of elements with which I disagree. Bavinck did work in the area of Christian psychology which is not to be found in any English writings. – Herman Hanko, "Translator's Foreword," professor emeritus of Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary
HERMAN BAVINCK (1854-1921) was a Dutch Reformed theologian. He earned his doctorate from the University of Leiden in 1880. He taught at the Theological School in Kampen and Free University of Amsterdam. He is well regarded as the foremost theologian of neo-Calvinism.
- 288 pages
- ISBN 978-1-959515-07-4
Hardcover version available
Ruth, Studies in
$4.95
2nd edition
Why is Ruth a favorite book of the Bible for Christians? We learn from the introduction to the study pamphlet that "...we are all Ruths at heart, foreigners and strangers brought into the covenant kingdom by the overwhelming grace of God." Each time we read this book of the Bible we are thrilled to see how the sovereign God directs circumstances so that the Moabitess Ruth becomes a mother in the covenant line of Jesus in his incarnation.
The book of Ruth shows how God preserves his church even in such dark times as the period of the Judges when every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
This guide is split into 7 lessons for personal or group study.
- 36 pages
- paperback
- ISBN 978-1-936054-49-7
- Release date: 1993, 2014
Find all Bible study guides here.
Reformed Education (eBook)
$8.95
Reformed Education is an explanation for the people of God of the fundamentals of Christian day-school education. The book demonstrates that the basis of the Christian school is God's covenant of grace with believers and their children. Treating such vital subjects as the place of Scripture and the creeds in the school, the biblical view of culture, the qualifications and calling of the Christian schoolteacher, and the goal of education, the author contends that the covenant of God controls and shapes all aspects of the Christian school.
In the course of this explanation, the book defends Christian schools against serious challenges—challenges as old as the claim that the state schools are adequate and challenges as new as the home-schooling movement.
This is the book to put in the hands of all believing parents. It will encourage those committed to Christian education. It will educate those who are doubtful. Christian schoolteachers will benefit from the book's description of their work: a divine calling to help in the rearing of the covenant child. Indeed, if the author is right in saying that all members of the church, whether parents or not, should support the Christian education of the children of believers as the church's own children, all can read the book with profit.
David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.
- 112 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-17-6
Faith Made Perfect (eBook)
$19.95
The believers James is writing to faced many problems as they made the transition from the Old Testament to the New Testament. James addresses these issues that the early Christians faced, including trials and temptations, true religion, wisdom, the use of the tongue, the judgment of the rich, patience, and spiritual help in trouble.
This eminently practical book gives instruction for living the Christian life in many of its aspects. A salient feature is the relation between justification and works, which James explains by the examples of Abraham and Rahab.
Read reviews by Martyn McGeown and Matt DeBoer.
Herman Hanko (1930-2024) served as a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches from 1955 to 1965, when he was appointed to serve as professor in the Protestant Reformed Seminary in Grandville, MI. He served in that capacity until his retirement in 2001. Until his passing in April 2024, he continued to lecture widely in the USA, the United Kingdom, and other countries, including Singapore and the Philippines. He is the author of several RFPA books.
- 304 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-87-9
Hardcover version available
Coming of Zion's Redeemer (eBook)
$19.95
The Coming of Zion's Redeemer is written on the prophecies of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
These prophecies, though not always easy to understand, are as much needed today as when they were written. Written for those living at the end of the Old Testament and looking forward to the first coming of Christ, they speak with authority and promise to those who are looking forward to the second coming of Christ and who live near the end of this present age. Very different in style, they have a unity of theme and purpose in Christ, the great king, priest, and prophet of his people.
Read a review by Thomas Miersma (PRCA).
Ronald Hanko was ordained and installed in 1979 as minister at Covenant Protestant Reformed Church in Wyckoff, New Jersey. Throughout his time as a minister of the Word, he also served congregations in Houston, TX; Lynden, WA; and as a missionary in Northern Ireland. He has authored multiple RFPA books.
- 544 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-42-8
I Believe: Sermons on the Apostles' Creed
$31.95
The Apostles' Creed declares truths that transcend time and space, uniting all of Christ’s saints from past, present, and future.
In the early- to mid-1950s, Herman Hoeksema delivered a series of radio sermons on each of the articles of the Apostles’ Creed, thereby presenting and explaining all of the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith. This collection of those sermons is therefore an excellent introduction to a Reformed understanding of the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith.
But the sermons in this book are more than theological expositions of the doctrines of the Apostles’ Creed. Hoeksema offers insightful, practical applications that flow from the truths of the Creed. Both the Creed’s doctrines and practical implications are crucially important—not only to the individual Christian—but also to the church as a whole. By expounding the Apostles’ Creed, Hoeksema demonstrates that its truths are not empty propositions but living declarations pointing to the Christian’s only hope and comfort in life and death—the triune God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Read a review by Mitchell Dick (URC) and Ben House (The Heavy-Laden Bookshelf blog).
What others are saying about the book:
"As God’s people we embrace the teachings of the Apostles’ Creed. We embrace these teachings because we believe them. However, we believers can easily fall into the practice of treating the Creed as only a simple statement, a statement which we do not think about too deeply. We do not seek to understand the depths of its riches. Consequently, we do not grow in our faith. This fine volume on the Apostles’ Creed, replete with many Scripture references, will cause our faith and understanding of biblical truth to grow." – REV. JEROME JULIEN, emeritus minister in the United Reformed Churches in North America
"Straight-forward, doctrinally tight, unwavering Reformed emphasis." -BEN HOUSE, The Heavy-Laden Bookshelf blog
HERMAN HOEKSEMA (1886–1965) was a prolific writer who pastored churches in western Michigan. He also served as a professor at the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan from its founding until his retirement in 1964.
- 336 pages
- Hardcover
- ISBN 978-1-936054-63-3
- Edited by Dr. Marco Barone
- Release date: June 2023
eBook version available
Preparing for Dating and Marriage (eBook)
$9.95
Click for sample
Convinced that instruction on marriage is for God’s youth early on, Pastor Cory Griess has provided a distinctive devotional aid for family worship. Parents, do not delay! Before our children enter the dating scene, where feelings tend to inhibit clear Christian thought, we must ground them now in scriptural principles. The youth of the church will soon make pivotal decisions in their dating years that will permanently affect their married lives. Here is a biblical, insightful, and practical guide for Christian parents, many of whom have vowed at baptism to train their children in the doctrines of scripture to the utmost of their power. —Pastor Jonathan Mahtani
Read reviews by Joshua Engelsma (author of Dating Differently), Don E. Galardi, Sacha Walicord, and Grant Van Leuven.
Cory Griess is a pastor and seminary professor in the Protestant Reformed Churches of America. He and his wife, Lael, live in Grand Rapids, MI, where he currently serves as Professor of Practical Theology and New Testament Studies at the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Lael, have six children, all born in Northwest Iowa where he pastored for nine years before moving to Michigan in 2018.
- 112 pages
- ISBN 978-1-944555-72-6
Softcover version available
Fruit of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, The (eBook)
$9.95
This beautiful eBook is the perfect gift for anyone, young or old. This book discusses the nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit (found in Galatians 5:22, 23) that proceed from that fountain, Christ, and which by his Spirit he works in his saints. The author encourages branches of believers and their seed unto a life of good fruit-bearing.
New author Richard J. Smit first wrote about the fruit of the Spirit in a series of articles that appeared in the Standard Bearer and now appear in book form in this new eBook.
Richard J. Smit has been a minister in the Protestant Reformed churches since his ordination in 1996. He has served as a missionary to the Philippines twice, ministering for over a decade to the saints there. Fruit of the Spirit is his first book.
- 155 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-22-0
Paperback version available
Audiobook version available
In the Beginning God
$9.94
2nd edition
Click to look inside
The 1960s were years of challenges to the infallibility and inspiration of scripture. These attacks were precipitated by the increasingly popular theory of evolution, which was making inroads into Reformed churches and schools. In contradiction to this creeping heresy and in unequivocal defense of the doctrine of scripture, the Reformed Free Publishing Association published In the Beginning God.
Since then the conflict between creation and evolution as the explanation of the origin of the world has intensified, and the doctrine of scripture is increasingly compromised, even in historically Reformed churches and schools.
God’s people must be knowledgeable regarding the doctrines of scripture and of creation so that they are able staunchly to defend these truths. To this end the Reformed Free Publishing Association is pleased to republish this explanation and defense of these timeless truths.
Read a review by Fred G. Zaspel (Books at a Glance).
Homer C. Hoeksema (1923-1989) was the second son of Herman Hoeksema, born during the turmoil of the Common Grace controversy which led to the formation of the Protestant Reformed Churches. He served charges in Iowa and Illinois before being called to serve as professor in the Protestant Reformed Seminary, where he taught Dogmatics and New Testament studies. He also served for years as the editor of The Standard Bearer and wrote many books for the RFPA.
- 144 pages
- paperback
- ISBN 978-1-936054-76-3
- Release date: February 25, 2015
eBook version available
Marriage, the Mystery of Christ and the Church (eBook)
$17.95
3rd edition
Although this book’s controversial contention that marriage is an unbreakable bond for life gets the most attention today, the book is a mainly positive explanation and application of the Bible’s teaching about marriage in all of marriage’s aspects. Marriage is a Reformed pastor’s instruction and exhortation to married couples, especially young married couples, with the purpose that they glorify God in their marriages and enjoy the bliss of this blessed communion of life. The second section is a history of the church’s doctrine and practice of marriage from Augustine and the early church through Calvin and the Reformation to the contemporary chaos.
The timeliness of the book is evident simply from the rate of divorce, not alone in North America in the early twenty-first century, but also in Reformed churches throughout the world.
What others have said about this book:
“This is one of those books that you wish could be put into the hands of every married couple and those contemplating marriage…If the contents of this book were put into practice, society would become more stable and broken homes would be few and far between.” –The Gospel Witness
“…one of the finest among the flood of such books flowing off the presses…The book [has] a theological depth and seriousness often lacking in non-Reformed books on this subject.” –Reformed Herald
“A book that says many biblical things about sex, children, family, the mystery of marriage. Recommended for laypersons and preachers alike.” –The Reformed Journal
“This book does faithfully reflect the teachings of God’s Word on marriage.” –The Banner
“A pastor, husband, and father speaks of marriage and its relationships in terms that few want to hear today–even in the church.” –Moody
“…there is much to be learned from this book for it touches upon much where the rubber hits the road in marriage.” –Ray Hoekzema, Trowel and Sword
“If ever there is a book which is vital reading for the church in our day, it is this one….This book is essential reading…and particularly should it be part of the staple diet offered to young people contemplating marriage.” ALSO “…these books…challenged my views on the vexed subject of divorce and remarriage…they also caused me to re-examine my whole attitude to marriage in general and my own marriage in particular, and to re-appraise my role as husband, lover and head of the family.” –John Lowery, British Reformed Journal
“…Engelsma’s book is ideal for any who has an interest in the subject…Ministers, elders, deacons, husbands, wives, parents, young people, and engaged couples, especially engaged couples, should read it. They will do so with life-long profit.” –R.J. Hooper, The Tamar Reformed Witness
“…Engelsma…presents a rich, biblically based view of marriage.” –New Oxford Review
“…Engelsma…provides what may well be the clearest expression of God’s heart on the matter of marriage in print today. In simple, readable form, the author sets out the biblical view of marriage.”-Charles Crisimier III, Standard Bearer
David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.
- 256 pages
- paperback
- ISBN 978-1-936054-46-6
Paperback version available
Calvin's Calvinism (eBook)
$19.95
2nd edition
Originally written in 1552, this treatise by Calvin on the doctrines of predestination and providence represents his mature thoughts on these subjects.
In the previous edition, Calvin's treatise was divided into two parts according to the subject matter. This edition of Calvin's Calvinism puts the related topics of predestination and providence together, the way Calvin himself addressed them in his original.
Calvin's Calvinism features brief historical introductions to the treatise and to Calvin's replies to a former friend who wrote against this treatise. These replies are also included in this edition.
- 330 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-85-5
- Translated by Henry Cole
- Edited by Russell J. Dykstra
Hardcover version available
Covenant and Election in the Reformed Tradition (eBook)
$19.95
Covenant and election are two of the most prominent and most important truths in Scripture. They run through the Bible like two grand, harmonious themes in symphony. These two doctrines and their relation are the twofold subject of this book.
The author illumines covenant and election from the controversial history of the confession of the teachings and their relation to the Reformed tradition—from John Calvin in the sixteenth-century through the fathers of the Secession churches in the nineteenth-century Netherlands to the twentieth-century theologians Herman Bavinck and Herman Hoeksema.
David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.
- 288 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-09-1
Hardcover version available
Federal Vision (eBook)
$17.95
The contemporary heresy of the federal vision is wreaking havoc on the Reformed and Presbyterian churches in North America. The author exposes the ugly root of the heresy (a conditional covenant) and sets forth the truth of the unconditional covenant, proclaiming the Reformation’s gospel of salvation by grace alone.
Read reviews by Ian A. Hewitson (Westminster Theological Seminary) and Douglas Douma (A Place for Thoughts).
David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.
- 252 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-08-4
Hardcover version available
Believing and Confessing: 365 Meditations on the Belgic Confession
$28.95
The Belgic Confession of Faith is a beloved summary of the Christian faith—for the building up of the church of Christ and to the glory of the triune God. But the Belgic Confession is not only a statement of faith. The theological depths and the personal character of this beloved document make it a more-than-suitable resource to which the believer can turn for the daily practice of personal devotions.
The 365 meditations in this book will daily guide the reader toward a better understanding of those scriptural truths for which the author of the Belgic Confession, Guido de Brès, lived and died.
- 416 pages
- softcover
- ISBN 978-1-944555-69-6
- Release date: August 2023
eBook version available
Table of Contents (click here for full TOC, or click Article 1 below for a sample):
Introduction 3
Article 1: There is One Only God, 4
Article 2: By What Means God Is Made Known unto Us, 18
Article 3: The Written Word of God, 26
Article 4: Canonical Books of the Holy Scripture, 31
Article 5: From Whence the Holy Scriptures Derive their Dignity and Authority, 35
Article 6: The Difference Between the Canonical and Apocryphal Books, 35
Article 7: The Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures to be the Only Rule of Faith, 43
Article 8: God is One in Essence, Yet Distinguished in Three Persons, 58
Article 9: The Proof of the Foregoing Article of the Trinity of Persons in One God, 66
Article 10: Jesus Christ Is True and Eternal God, 74
Article 11: The Holy Ghost Is True and Eternal God, 82
Article 12: Of the Creation, 90
Article 13: Divine Providence, 105
Article 14: The Creation and Fall of Man, and His Incapacity to Perform What Is Truly Good, 127
Article 15: Original Sin, 142
Article 16: Eternal Election, 157
Article 17: The Recovery of Fallen Man, 172
Article 18: The Incarnation of Jesus Christ, 180
Article 19: The Union and Distinction of the Two Natures in the Person of Christ, 188
Article 20: God Hath Manifested His Justice and Mercy in Christ, 196
Article 21: The Satisfaction of Christ, Our Only High Priest, for Us, 204
Article 22: Faith in Jesus Christ, 219
Article 23: Justification, 228
Article 24: Man's Sanctification and Good Works, 249
Article 25: The Abolishing of the Ceremonial Law, 265
Article 26: Christ's Intercession, 273
Article 27: The Catholic Christian Church, 295
Article 28: Every One Is Bound to Join Himself to the True Church, 303
Article 29: The Marks of the True Church, and Wherein She Differs from the False Church, 311
Article 30: The Government of and Offices in the Church, 319
Article 31: The Ministers, Elders, and Deacons, 334
Article 32: The Order and Discipline of the Church, 342
Article 33: The Sacraments, 357
Article 34: Holy Baptism, 370
Article 35: The Holy Supper of Our Lord Jesus Christ, 379
Article 36: The Magistrates, 388
Article 37: The Last Judgment, 396
Here We Stand: Commemorating the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation
$14.25
The great 16th-century church Reformation was so significant an event that virtually every church today is affected by that history and the 16th-century reforms in doctrine and life.
This book demonstrates the impact of that historic event by focusing on a few aspects of the Reformation, including the crucial issues of justification by faith alone, the authority of scripture, and proper worship. This book also covers two lesser-known yet significant aspects of the Reformation that began in 1517: the unique development of the Reformation in the Lowlands, and the reformers’ response to the “radical reformation.”
The chapters included in this book are written by: Ronald L. Cammenga (editor), David Torlach, Barrett L. Gritters, Martyn McGeown, Russell Dykstra, and Steven Key.
- 208 pages
- softcover
- ISBN 978-1-944555-37-5
- Release date: April 19, 2018
eBook version available
Mysteries of the Kingdom, The (eBook)
$19.95
Click to look inside
The parables form a substantial part of our Savior's ministry, and this is ample reason for us to give good attention to them. With simple and familiar earthly pictures, Jesus tells us what the kingdom of heaven is like.
"The author takes each parable and by careful exegesis opens up its rich seam of spiritual instruction, and gives a faithful and solidly Reformed interpretation. He shows us gospel mysteries of immense beauty, power, encouragement, practical relevance, and everlasting worth for citizens of a kingdom that is not of this world."
Herman Hanko (1930-2024) served as a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches from 1955 to 1965, when he was appointed to serve as professor in the Protestant Reformed Seminary in Grandville, MI. He served in that capacity until his retirement in 2001. Until his passing in April 2024, he continued to lecture widely in the USA, the United Kingdom, and other countries, including Singapore and the Philippines. He is the author of several RFPA books.
- 432 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-82-4
Hardcover version available
Christianizing the World (eBook)
$19.95
This book is a critique of Abraham Kuyper’s cultural theory of a common grace of God and of the grandiose mission of this grace, and of those who confess the theory and evidently intend to promote it so that it accomplishes the end Kuyper claimed. The book exposes Kuyper’s biblical basis for his theory and its practical mission.
The first and main part of the book is a much-expanded version of the public lecture given in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2014 under the auspices of the evangelism society of Southwest Protestant Reformed Church in Wyoming, Michigan. The second part of the book consists of questions raised by the audience at the conclusion of the lecture and of the answers by the speaker at the lecture.
Read reviews by Robert Burford (Frankston South, Australia), Arie den Hartog (PRCA), William Gibson (the English Churchman), and Dr. Julian Kennedy (CPRC).
David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.
- 192 pages
- ISBN 978-1-944555-03-0
Hardcover version available
Better to Marry (eBook)
$12.95
2nd edition
Better to Marry provides straightforward, practical instruction for single and married believers alike, taken directly from the classic Bible passages on sex and marriage. Two appendices treat the remarriage and prohibition of the remarriage of the "innocent party."
David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.
- 128 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-39-8
Hardcover version available
Wonder of Grace, The
$13.95
NEW in 2024! Click here for a study guide to The Wonder of Grace.
This guide was written by Kyle Bruinooge, who teaches New Testament and Worldviews at Covenant Christian High School.
"The questions in this study guide are of varying forms. Some questions are simply designed as an aid to give organization and structure to the chapters. Other questions are crafted to foster and promote profitable and lively discussion on the topics raised in the book. Finally, my overall aim was that a number of questions would be personal and real for the child of God. For these questions, each individual who studies the book can respond uniquely and personally to how God has used the precious truths of grace in his or her life." -Kyle Bruinooge, 2023
2nd edition
Click for a sample
Originally a series of radio sermons broadcast on the Reformed Witness Hour program, The Wonder of Grace was first published as a book in 1944. In Wonder, the author develops the concept of salvation by grace. Each of the fifteen chapters is devoted to one aspect of the grace that God bestows on the believer in the process of salvation. The reader of this work will grow in the knowledge and confidence that salvation is by grace alone and that God is worthy of all praise and glory.
This edition of The Wonder of Grace is a reprint of the 1982 edition of Herman Hoeksema’s little classic on God’s sovereign grace. In order to remain faithful to the words and ideas of the author, changes made to this edition were stylistic in nature.
Chapter 1: The Idea of Salvation by Grace
Chapter 2: Chosen by Grace
Chapter 3: Reconciled by Grace
Chapter 4: United with Christ by Grace
Chapter 5: Regenerated by Grace
Chapter 6: Called by Grace
Chapter 7: Believing Through Grace
Chapter 8: Justified by Grace
Chapter 9: Converted by Grace
Chapter 10: Working Out Our Salvation by Grace
Chapter 11: Good Works Through Grace
Chapter 12: Suffering Through Grace
Chapter 13: Victory Through Grace
Chapter 14: Assurance of Grace
Chapter 15: Glorified Through Grace
Herman Hoeksema (HH) (1886-1965) was ordained into the ministry in the Christian Reformed Churches in 1915. He is considered one of the founding "fathers" of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. He taught in the Seminary of the Protestant Reformed Churches from its founding and until his retirement in 1964.
- 120 pages
- paperback
- ISBN 978-1-944555-97-9
- Release date: January 5, 2017
Reformed Faith of John Calvin, The (eBook)
$19.95
As the subtitle indicates, The Reformed Faith of John Calvin is a summary (not an abridgment) in one volume of John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion. In a succinct, systematic way, the book sets forth the essence of the great reformer's teachings in his Institutes on all the truths of the Christian religion.
Throughout, this sum of Calvin's explanation and defense of the truths of the Christian faith is either expressed or supported by quotations of Calvin. The book is replete with quotations from the Institutes (in the judgment of the author, the most important and vivid statements of Calvin), so that the reader hears Calvin himself.
One who reads this book will know the Institutes and its comprehensive, powerful instruction in the Reformed faith—the faith of the sixteenth-century Reformation of the church and the faith of true churches of Christ in the twenty-first century.
The book also gives a brief explanation of certain of Calvin's teachings, offers analysis of Calvin's doctrine, applies the reformer's teachings to contemporary doctrinal issues, and even, rarely, becomes so bold as to criticize Calvin's doctrine, for instance, Calvin's teaching that the magistrate is called to enforce the first table of the law of God.
Many seminarians, pastors, elders, and laity, perhaps even a theologian or two, although desirous of learning the content of the Institutes, are put off from reading it by the sheer size of the massive, two-volume work or are hindered by the demands of their calling. This summary will supply their want and, it is hoped, motivate them to read the Institutes itself.
David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.
- 472 pages
- ISBN 978-1-944555-05-4
Hardcover version available
Fruit of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, The (audiobook)
$5.00
Listen to a sample
This beautiful audiobook is the perfect gift for anyone, young or old. This book discusses the nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit (found in Galatians 5:22, 23) that proceed from that fountain, Christ, and which by his Spirit he works in his saints. The author encourages branches of believers and their seed unto a life of good fruit-bearing.
New author Richard J. Smit first wrote about the fruit of the Spirit in a series of articles that appeared in the Standard Bearer and now appear in listenable format in this new audiobook.
Richard J. Smit has been a minister in the Protestant Reformed churches since his ordination in 1996. He has served as a missionary to the Philippines twice, ministering for over a decade to the saints there. Fruit of the Spirit is his first book.
- Length: 4 hrs
- Narrated by: Chris Smart
- audiobook
Paperback version available
Trinity and Covenant (eBook)
$19.95
Can believers and their children understand more about God’s covenant fellowship with his people with his people if they have a better understanding of the inner, triune life of God in himself? Does the life of Jesus Christ revealed in the Holy Scriptures help? What have Augustine, John Calvin, Karl Barth, Leonardo Boff and others offered on this topic?
Trinity and Covenant: God as Holy Family by Professor David Engelsma answers these questions and more.
In the light of profound insights of Augustine, following the lead of certain theologians in the Reformed tradition, and on the basis of the Holy Scripture, this book conceives the life of God in himself as fundamentally family fellowship. The fellowship of the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit determines the nature of God’s works in the creating and redeeming humanity. The reader of this book will grow in the understanding of God’s covenant fellowship with his people.
David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.
- 158 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-44-2
Hardcover version available
Pilgrim's Manual, A (eBook)
$19.95
Click to look inside
In his first epistle Peter writes to the saints in Asia Minor from the perspective of their lives as pilgrims. As sojourners in a strange land, they are on a journey through this world toward their eternal home.
How must these pilgrims (and how must we), torn between this world and the next, walk in all the relationships of this life? Peter’s answers this question in his letter which serves as a pilgrim’s manual.
Believers will find A Pilgrim’s Manual to be full of instruction, comfort, and hope as they wend their way toward their eternal home.
Read reviews on Amazon.com.
Herman Hanko (1930-2024) served as a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches from 1955 to 1965, when he was appointed to serve as professor in the Protestant Reformed Seminary in Grandville, MI. He served in that capacity until his retirement in 2001. Until his passing in April 2024, he continued to lecture widely in the USA, the United Kingdom, and other countries, including Singapore and the Philippines. He is the author of several RFPA books.
- 352 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-18-3
Hardcover version available
Gospel Truth of Justification (eBook)
$19.95
AD 2017 marked the five-hundredth anniversary of the Reformation of the church of Jesus Christ. In 1517 the Reformer Martin Luther affixed the ninety-five theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany, the act by which Jesus Christ began his reformation of his church. Essential to this Reformation was the gospel-truth of justification by faith alone. This book on justification is intended by the Reformed Free Publishing Association and the author to celebrate that glorious work of Christ.
But the purpose is more than a celebration of the beginning of the Reformation. It is to maintain, defend, and promote the Reformation in the perilous times for the church at present. The doctrine of justification by faith alone is so fundamental to the gospel of grace that an exposition and defense of this truth are in order always. The true church of Christ in the world simply cannot keep silent about this doctrine. To keep silent about justification by faith alone would be to silence the gospel.
Read reviews by Douglas Douma (A Place for Thoughts), John Marcus (PRCA), and Martin Vanderwal.
David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.
- 528 pages
- ISBN 978-1-944555-19-1
Particular Grace (eBook)
$19.95
"The book is controversial. It was controversial when it was written. It is still controversial in Reformed churches..."
Originally published in Dutch (De Gemeene Gratis) at the end of the nineteenth century, Particular Grace's explanation and development of the gospel of salvation by the grace of God in Jesus Christ was controversial then and continues to be so today. But by no means is the book controversy alone. Within is the lively, warm writing of a Reformed theologian who influenced much of the Reformed church world in his time. Kuyper is fresh. Kuyper is fervent. Kuyper storms the heart of the believer.
What others are saying about the book:
"The Reformed Free Publishing Association has accomplished a breakthrough. For the first time, with the possible exception of Kuyper's work on the Holy Spirit, the Kuyper of sound Reformed doctrine and church reformation is presented to the English reading public…"
"The book is biblical, deliberately and pervasively so…"
"Reformed believers will surely be impressed with the power of the author's language and argument, the breadth of this acquaintance with past and contemporary discussion, and the cumulative weight of his case. They will also find Kuyper surprisingly fresh and pointed. Many contemporary denials of particular grace are anticipated by his arguments." —Mid-America Journal of Theology
- 376 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-36-7
Hardcover version available
Covenant of God and the Children of Believers, The (eBook)
$19.95
The Covenant of God and the Children of Believers defends the Reformed faith of the covenant of God by exposing the view of the covenant from which the attack of the "federal vision" arises. At the same time, the book sets forth the doctrine of the covenant that safeguards and promotes the gospel of sovereign grace, demonstrating that this covenant doctrine is biblical, confessional, and traditionally Reformed.
Since the controversy centers on the inclusion of the children of believers in the covenant, this book emphasizes the rightful place of children in the covenant of grace and the proper rearing of them. The author gives consideration to the views of the Protestant Reformed Churches, Baptists, the Netherlands Reformed Congregations, and the Canadian Reformed Churches ("liberated") on this topic. Leading representatives of these churches and traditions join in the discussion.
What others are saying about the book:
"The Covenant of God and the Children of Believers strikes a death blow to the heart of heresy which is sweeping through Reformed churches." —English Churchman
David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.
- 250 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-80-0
Hardcover version available
Defense of the Church Institute, A (eBook)
$17.95
The statement in Article 28 of the Belgic Confession that all believers are “in duty bound to join and unite themselves with” an instituted church that has the three marks of the true church has proved to be controversial in North America and Europe. Engelsma’s recent book, Bound to Join, addresses the doctrine of church membership and has received criticism from both expected and unexpected critics.
This book answers those critics, defending the doctrine of church membership and demonstrating that love for the universal, invisible church invariably expresses itself by love for the manifestation of this church in the church institute. This book also examines the "house church" movement and the claim by such men as Harold Camping that the church age has ended.
This book is a must-read, especially for those who have read Bound to Join!
Read reviews on Christianbook.com and Amazon.com.
David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.
- 160 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-15-2
Hardcover version available
Behold the Beauty - Art Curriculum (Kindergarten & First Grade)
$49.95
Click for sample lessons. (First sample is Kindergarten. Second sample is First Grade)
This first volume in the three-volume art curriculum set, Behold the Beauty, is designed to be used by teachers or homeschooling parents for Kindergarten and first grade.
Behold the Beauty was also written with practical considerations in mind: to assist instructors who have had little or no training in art. The lessons are clear and easy to use, requiring minimal supplies without compromising objectives.
The ultimate objective of every lesson is exactly as the title implies: to behold the beauty of creation and to praise God in doing that. As students learn to more closely observe creation while rendering what they see in pencil, paint, or other artistic media, they will be trained to meet that objective. The lessons teach how to use the elements of art, such as line, shape, and color, while introducing the principles of design, such as unity, variety, and focal point. Not only do students learn to behold the evidence of God's glory all around them by these means, they also learn to make objects of beauty in order to communicate that glory to others. The curriculum is based on the infallible Scriptures, and the twelve lessons of each grade level comprise a thorough, biblical, and systematic art education.
Read review by Renita Kuehner (The Old Schoolhouse).
What others have said about this curriculum:
"This book has been a great introduction to art for my son. We've been using it for over a year now and have made many wonderful art projects. I even have his 2 yr. brother participate and he has fun. It teaches great art concepts and includes godly wisdom alongside."
"This is a great book. There is a small amount of prep (little more than making sure you have the materials), and no special skills required. I have been working through this with my 6 year old (started when she was 5. Her little brother also tries to do the projects (and is successful for the most part). Highly recommended."
Connie Meyer is a 1982 graduate of Calvin College with a BA in art education. She is a wife and the mother to five children. She has used Behold the Beauty lessons with her children and has helped teachers teach art in their classrooms for many years.
- 179 pages
- softcover
- ISBN: 978-0-916206-89-5
Other Books in the Behold the Beauty Series:
I Believe: Sermons on the Apostle's Creed (eBook)
$19.95
The Apostles' Creed declares truths that transcend time and space, uniting all of Christ’s saints from past, present, and future.
In the early- to mid-1950s, Herman Hoeksema delivered a series of radio sermons on each of the articles of the Apostles’ Creed, thereby presenting and explaining all of the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith. This collection of those sermons is therefore an excellent introduction to a Reformed understanding of the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith.
But the sermons in this book are more than theological expositions of the doctrines of the Apostles’ Creed. Hoeksema offers insightful, practical applications that flow from the truths of the Creed. Both the Creed’s doctrines and practical implications are crucially important—not only to the individual Christian—but also to the church as a whole. By expounding the Apostles’ Creed, Hoeksema demonstrates that its truths are not empty propositions but living declarations pointing to the Christian’s only hope and comfort in life and death—the triune God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Read a review by Mitchell Dick (URC)!
What others are saying about the book:
"As God’s people we embrace the teachings of the Apostles’ Creed. We embrace these teachings because we believe them. However, we believers can easily fall into the practice of treating the Creed as only a simple statement, a statement which we do not think about too deeply. We do not seek to understand the depths of its riches. Consequently, we do not grow in our faith. This fine volume on the Apostles’ Creed, replete with many Scripture references, will cause our faith and understanding of biblical truth to grow." – REV. JEROME JULIEN, emeritus minister in the United Reformed Churches in North America
"Straight-forward, doctrinally tight, unwavering Reformed emphasis." -BEN HOUSE, The Heavy-Laden Bookshelf
HERMAN HOEKSEMA (1886–1965) was a prolific writer who pastored churches in western Michigan. He also served as a professor at the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan from its founding until his retirement in 1964.
- 336 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-67-1
- Edited by Dr. Marco Barone
Hardcover version available
Ecclesiastes: A Reflective Exposition
$27.95
In his preaching and teaching, the Lord Jesus Christ does not quote directly from the book of Ecclesiastes. Jesus, rather, takes up the truth and concepts found in that book and expands on them in many of his parables. As such, the teachings of Ecclesiastes are part of the fabric of the gospel. The book undergirds the knowledge of the world as it is fallen in sin under God’s judgment. The world can afford us no salvation; man cannot deliver himself from bondage; under the sun the works of men do not profit; salvation, which is from above, is a work of God alone; God must enter into our misery in the person of his only begotten Son to save and redeem us. Under the sun, deliverance is not to be found, only vanity and death. Ecclesiastes points to the need for the work of God’s grace—in Christ, the true Savior—as the only solution to the fallen world and its vanity.
Read reviews by H. D. Schuringa (Christian Renewal), Ryan Barnhill (PRCA), Stephen Regnerus (PRCA), and Richard Alan Fuhr Jr (JETS)!
Thomas Miersma is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. During his ministry (1982–2017) he pastored two churches in Canada. He also labored in the United States for many years as Western Home Missionary.
- 246 pages
- Hardcover
- ISBN 978-1-7368154-7-2
- Release date: 2022
eBook version available
Dating Differently (audiobook)
$5.00
Listen to a sample
We’re bombarded with antichristian messages everywhere in life, and from casual hookups to casual sex, our culture’s messages on dating are no different.
But Christians don’t have to follow these norms. The Bible gives us a better way.
It’s a way of chastity and wisdom. A way that understands that marriage—the end goal of dating—is for life. The person you marry will shape who you become spiritually. And that person will also be the father or mother to the children God is pleased to give you some day.
Pastorally and accessibly, Joshua Engelsma answers the practical questions of Reformed, Christian dating based on the truth that we must date differently—with marriage as the goal and scripture as the guide.
Read reviews by Kristin Stiles (booksataglance.com), James Admiraal (The Outlook), Gary Eriks (PRCA), Cory Griess (PRCA), Michelle Hofman (Young Calvinists), Jim Regnerus, Charles Terpstra (The Three R's Blog), Jon Van Dyk (Christian Renewal), Mrs. Ricky Pronk (The Messenger), and Sarah Vandergugten (Clarion)!
Joshua Engelsma is a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches of America. He lives in Doon, Iowa, with his wife, Courtney, and six children. He has served as pastor of Doon Protestant Reformed Church since 2014.
- Length: 3 hrs and 31 minutes
- Narrated by Tony Partida
- audiobook
eBook version available
paperback version available
This product has been made available thanks to the generous support of Faith Protestant Reformed Church Evangelism Committee.
Unfolding Covenant History: Vol. 6, From Samuel to Solomon
$28.95
Unfolding Covenant History is a series that includes Old Testament history syllabi written by the late Homer C. Hoeksema, with additional syllabi written by David J. Engelsma, his successor as Professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament at the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary in Wyoming, Michigan. Recognizing the work's potential for the edification and comfort to all of God's people, the RFPA originally undertook the publication of this series of hardcover volumes under the editorship of Mark H. Hoeksema, son of Homer Hoeksema.
The unique feature of these volumes, which distinguishes them from other such writings, is their emphasis on the theme of God's covenant of grace as the unifying principle of Old Testament history and of the very gospel itself. The reader's appreciation for this truth will grow during the unfolding of the meaning of the covenant as this history progresses through the books of the Old Testament.
The Old Testament history covered in this 6th volume of the Unfolding series is extensive, covering the account of the life and significance for the covenant of Samuel, Saul, David, and Solomon. This is the history recorded in 1 and 2 Samuel; 1 Kings 1–11; 1 Chronicles 10–29; and 2 Chronicles 1–9. In addition, the volume takes into consideration other passages in Scripture (Psalms) that reflect on this history.
This history is also rich in significance with regard to the development of God’s covenant and covenant dealings with his people. It includes the institution and early functioning of the office of the prophet; the institution of the office of king; the stark contrast between the people’s choice as king, in the charismatic, but reprobate, Saul, and God’s elect, David; and the realization of the fellowship of the covenant in the Old Testament in the temple. Among fascinating and controversial events of the history on which this volume sheds light is the appearance to Saul of the “witch of Endor.”
Read reviews by Nathan Langerak (Sword and Shield), David Noorman (The Standard Bearer), H. David Schuringa, and Jerome Julien (The Outlook)
- 224 pages
- hardcover
- ISBN 978-1-944555-63-4
- Release date: April 6, 2020
RELATED PRODUCTS
Sin & Grace (eBook)
$16.95
Written by two young ministers embroiled in conflict, this book was originally published in Dutch in 1923. Dead aim is taken at the doctrine of common grace, and great care is taken to prove its errors using Scripture and the Reformed creeds. The doctrine of the antithesis and the organic idea of the covenant are also developed. This is a logical refutation of a common error, as well as a lesson in twentieth-century Reformed church history.
Henry Danhof and Herman Hoeksema are considered two of the founding "fathers" of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America.
- 288 pages
- ISBN 978-1-944555-04-7
Hardcover version available
Unfolding Covenant History: Volumes 1-6 (eBook set)
$99.90
This set contains one copy each of volumes 1 through 6 in the Unfolding Covenant History series. Each individual title can be purchased separately through the blue links below.
Volume 1 - From Creation to the Flood (eBook)
by Homer C. Hoeksema
368 pages
Volume 2 - From the Flood to Isaac (eBook)
by Homer C. Hoeksema
328 pages
Volume 3 - From Jacob to the Exodus (eBook)
by Homer C. Hoeksema
344 pages
Volume 4 - Through the Wilderness into Canaan (eBook)
by Homer C. Hoeksema
414 pages
Volume 5 - Judges and Ruth (eBook)
by David J. Engelsma
238 pages
Volume 6 - From Samuel to Solomon (eBook)
by David J. Engelsma
224 pages
Follow Old Testament history using God's covenant as the basis for a proper understanding of the unfolding events! Volumes 1-6 of an estimated 8-volume series are now available.
What others are saying about this set:
"These very readable volumes are a veritable treasure store, into which, when the believer dips, he will surely increase his spiritual wealth." —The Outlook
The hardcover version of this set is available here.
Letters from Katie Luther (eBook)
$14.95
Ave and her best friend Katie lived for many years as nuns in a convent in Nimbschen. But one day the two women and several other nuns decided they must flee the convent for the city of Wittenberg so that they could worship the Lord in a way pleasing to him.
After their respective marriages, Ave moved away from Wittenberg, while Katie remained in the city with her new husband, Dr. Martin Luther. Over the years, the women wrote each other many letters and remained close friends and “sisters in the Lord.”
Now, in a novel set almost three decades later, Ave has received news that Katie has died. Determined to share her friend’s story, Ave begins to relay her memories of Katie and share the letters she has kept for all these years. Her desire is only that we learn what her friend Katie came to learn over fifty-three years on this earth: trust in the Lord, who strengthens the hearts of all who hope in him (Psalm 31:24).
Read reviews by Kristin Dykstra, Sarah Mowery (Perspectives), Eva and Mina Boekestein (The Outlook), Ronald Cammenga (Standard Bearer), and Dr. Jason Van Vliet (Clarion).
- 208 pages
- ISBN 978-1-944555-54-2
Paperback version available
Church's Hope: The Reformed Doctrine of the End - Vol. 2, The Coming of Christ
$21.95
The Christian’s hope is the visible, bodily, glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ on the clouds of heaven with the resurrection of the Christian’s body, the public vindication of the Christian at the last judgment, and the enjoyment of the glories of the new creation. In the Reformed Doctrine of the End series, the author writes on eschatology in service of the church’s hope. As Engelsma demonstrates, the last things—centrally the coming of Christ—are the purpose and goal of all the revelation of God in scripture, from beginning to end. This book will encourage the Christian as he heeds Christ’s instruction regarding that coming: “Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13).
In this 2nd volume, the reader learns that the truth central to all eschatology is the second coming of Jesus Christ itself - what the Greek of the New Testament promises as the parousia, literally the presence (of Jesus Christ). All other aspects of the biblical doctrine of the coming of Jesus are subordinate to this coming, either leading to it, accompanying it, or proceeding from it. Therefore, the proper subtitle of this second volume is The Coming of Christ.
The coming of Christ Jesus, with all that is related to it, will be the “end.” Such is Jesus’ own description of his coming in Matthew 24:14: “And then shall the end come,” which might be paraphrased, “And then shall the goal be reached.” The coming of Christ, with all that precedes and follows, is the goal of God, not only with the events of the last days but also of all history. All the events belonging strictly to the last things, all the history of the New Testament church, all the history of the world beginning with its creation, and all the doctrines of the Christian faith have the coming, or presence, of Jesus Christ as their goal.
This is the importance of the content of this volume. This is why the outstanding promise of the gospel is that uttered by Jesus himself: “I come quickly” (Rev. 22:12). And this is why the fundamental prayer of the church is, in response, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).
Read reviews by Justin Smidstra (PRCA), Mitchell Dixon (Presbyterion, Covenant Theological Seminary).
David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.
- 192 pages
- softcover
- ISBN: 978-1-73681542-7
- Release date: 2022
eBook version available
RELATED PRODUCTS
The Church's Hope: The Reformed Doctrine of the End - Vol. 1, The Millennium
I Remember Herman Hoeksema (eBook)
$4.99
Published originally as a series of articles in Beacon Lights magazine, I Remember Herman Hoeksema consists of the recollections of David J. Engelsma, a student of Herman Hoeksema.
Written for young people, these articles show something of the man whom many know only as an author and theologian.
David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.
Herman Hoeksema (HH) (1886-1965) was ordained into the ministry in the Christian Reformed Churches in 1915. He is considered one of the founding "fathers" of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. He taught in the Seminary of the Protestant Reformed Churches from its founding and until his retirement in 1964.
- 112 pages
- ISBN 978-1-944555-77-1
Paperback version available
Prosperous Wicked and Plagued Saints (eBook)
$10.95
Prosperous Wicked and Plagued Saints is a commentary on Psalm 73 that sets forth the truth of God’s goodness to his people in their trouble and of God’s curse on the wicked in their prosperity.
In light of the teaching of Psalm 73, the book takes issue with a theory about earthly prosperity and earthly woe that, for all its strange popularity with Reformed and evangelical Christians, only intensifies the believer’s temptation to doubt in the hour of trouble: the theory of common grace.
What others are saying about the book:
"This book arrived yesterday and I'll finish it today. Can't recommend it enough...The prosperity of the wicked is an illusion. What grace is it for a man to gain the whole world and yet lose his soul? The answer is none. While it's popular today to say things like, 'God is good all the time and all the time God is good' or 'Have a blessed day' or 'I am blessed,' let's not be deceived. God is good towards His elect alone. All things work together FOR GOOD to those who are CALLED, to those who are in Christ Jesus and ONLY those who are in Christ Jesus." - Tim, from Arkansas
David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. He has authored many RFPA books.
- 120 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-47-3
Softcover version available
Ignited by the Word FREE Sample Issue
$0.00
Interested in IBTW? Enjoy this FREE sample of the latest issue of our children's magazine.
To learn more, visit ignitedbytheword.org.
What others are saying about Ignited:
"Another outstanding issue. Thank you for all the interesting and engaging content. Our son [2nd grade] loves our time together looking at and reading the magazine. We love all the different pages. Singing a song and so on. He loved the animals in the Bible page. The ones he didn't know, we looked up. Excellent pictures, too. So impressed with the variety. I never knew about the rooster either...Never will I look at them the same. This magazine is designed for our youth, but even middle age and older will enjoy." -Dawn H, California (about October 2023 issue, All Creatures Great and Small)
*Please note that there is a limit of one free issue per customer.
Whosoever Will (eBook)
$12.95
"And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17).
In this beloved volume, Hoeksema refutes the common misinterpretation of this phrase and pastorally brings home to the believer its rich, personal meaning, explaining the doctrine of sovereign, particular grace regarding coming to faith in Jesus Christ.
What others are saying about this book:
"An excellent book, and so much needed in this day of dishwater doctrine. It displays God on the throne, not man." —Christian Literature World
Herman Hoeksema (HH) (1886-1965) was ordained into the ministry in the Christian Reformed Churches in 1915. He is considered one of the founding "fathers" of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. He taught in the Seminary of the Protestant Reformed Churches from its founding and until his retirement in 1964.
- 126 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-48-0
Paperback version available
Knowing God and Man (eBook)
$11.95
The key to understanding Reformed doctrine is found in the title of the first chapter in this book: "God is God." This truth sets the tone for all thirteen chapters—six on God and seven on man. Each chapter on God directs the reader’s attention to a different biblical aspect of the sovereign of the universe: God as God, as creator, as Lord, as good, as the living God, and as love.
The seven chapters about man open the biblical teaching about a subject often misinterpreted today. Clear explanation is given concerning man’s covenantal relationship to God, his creation in the image of God, his fall, and his totally depraved nature. Like the chapters in part one, these also emphasize that God is God.
Herman Hoeksema (HH) (1886-1965) was ordained into the ministry in the Christian Reformed Churches in 1915. He is considered one of the founding "fathers" of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. He taught in the Seminary of the Protestant Reformed Churches from its founding and until his retirement in 1964.
- 152 pages
- paperback
- ISBN 978-1-944555-07-8
Paperback version available
Gottschalk, Servant of God (eBook)
$13.95
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These were the Dark Ages, the days of knights and castles and kings and queens, of monasteries, Vikings, and monks. But one monk stood out from all the rest. One monk stood firm for the truth he believed, though no one stood with him at all. This is the story of Gottschalk of Orbais, a light of truth in the darkness of his age—and a light of truth in ours.
For years, the RFPA has discussed publishing books for younger readers, and Gottschalk: Servant of God represents our first effort. This book is intended for junior high and high school ages. Because the story is intriguing and the history of Gottschalk is not well-known, adults will also enjoy this book and find it profitable.
Read reviews by Dr. Julian Kennedy (CPRC), Ryan Schipper, Taylor Vink, and Lori Hooten (The Old Schoolhouse).
What others have said about this book:
"Gottschalk is my hero."—Herman Hanko
"Students, parents, elders, and ministers. This is a volume they could all read with profound benefit."—Marvin Kamps
"Honestly, it is a very, very good book."—7th grade student
Connie Meyer is a 1982 graduate of Calvin College with a BA in art education. She is a wife and the mother to five children. She has written multiple RFPA publications, including a 3-volume art curriculum called Behold the Beauty.
- 160 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-89-3
This book is currently only available as an eBook.
In the Beginning God (eBook)
$9.95
2nd edition
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The 1960s were years of challenges to the infallibility and inspiration of scripture. These attacks were precipitated by the increasingly popular theory of evolution, which was making inroads into Reformed churches and schools. In contradiction to this creeping heresy and in unequivocal defense of the doctrine of scripture, the Reformed Free Publishing Association published In the Beginning God.
Since then the conflict between creation and evolution as the explanation of the origin of the world has intensified, and the doctrine of scripture is increasingly compromised, even in historically Reformed churches and schools.
God’s people must be knowledgeable regarding the doctrines of scripture and of creation so that they are able staunchly to defend these truths. To this end the Reformed Free Publishing Association is pleased to republish this explanation and defense of these timeless truths.
Read review by Dr. Fred G. Zaspel (Books at a Glance).
Homer C. Hoeksema (1923-1989) was the second son of Herman Hoeksema, born during the turmoil of the Common Grace controversy which led to the formation of the Protestant Reformed Churches. He served charges in Iowa and Illinois before being called to serve as professor in the Protestant Reformed Seminary, where he taught Dogmatics and New Testament studies. He also served for years as the editor of The Standard Bearer and wrote many books for the RFPA.
- 144 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-77-0
Paperback version available
Reformed Lord's Supper Form, The
$39.95
The form itself was adopted by the Synod of Dordt (1618–19) as the authoritative form for the administration and celebration of the sacrament of the Supper by both the Reformed churches in the Netherlands and by Dutch-speaking churches in the tradition of Dordt elsewhere in the world. Over the years the form has been adopted, translated, and used by most—if not all—Reformed churches that stand in the tradition of Dordt.
The Lord’s supper form, therefore, expresses the faith of orthodox, Reformed Christianity concerning the supper and all the rich implications of the supper for doctrine and life.
Read reviews by H. D. Schuringa and Dan Key!
Bastiaan Wielenga was a minister of the word in the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (GKN) in the early- to mid-1900s. He attended the Theological School in Kampen and earned his doctorate at the University of Heidelberg in 1899.
- 426 pages
- Hardcover
- ISBN 978-1-936054-57-2
- Release date: March 2023
eBook version available
Other Books in this Series:
Portraits of Faithful Saints (eBook)
$19.95
Read about old favorites, such as Augustine and Luther, and learn about the obscure, though equally influential Christians, such as Cocceius and Olevianus. This collection of short biographies details the lives of fifty-two professing believers who lived and died for Christ. Not sentimental or fictionalized, these accounts tell what Christians actually said and did during difficult times, and they prepare the reader to face opposition today.
What others are saying about the book:
"While Portraits of Faithful Saints may not make the official textbook lists in some seminaries, students are going to latch on to Hanko's latest as an indispensable cheatsheet on the biography of theologians—the Halley's Handbook of its field."—Christian Observer
Herman Hanko (1930-2024) served as a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches from 1955 to 1965, when he was appointed to serve as professor in the Protestant Reformed Seminary in Grandville, MI. He served in that capacity until his retirement in 2001. Until his passing in April 2024, he continued to lecture widely in the USA, the United Kingdom, and other countries, including Singapore and the Philippines. He is the author of several RFPA books.
- 464 pages
- ISBN 978-1-944555-31-3
RELATED PRODUCTS
Hardcover version available
Bound to Join (eBook)
$17.95
Some professing Christians deny the necessity of church membership. Others join a church for unsubstantial reasons or leave a church for trivial, often selfish reasons. Many remain members of apostatizing churches because of family or traditional ties. Some Christians find themselves in areas or countries where no true church exists or can be formed. They ask, sometimes in anguish, "What must we do?"
Seemingly forgotten today is the truth that Jesus Christ institutes his catholic church in organized congregations that are clearly identified by objective marks. These are true churches, in distinction from false and apostatizing churches.
In the form of letters to an inquiring (though not always appreciative) European audience, this book addresses the issue of church membership in the twenty-first century. This instruction is applicable to all believers and is based on scripture, the Belgic Confession, and the important, but little known, controversy of John Calvin with the Nicodemites.
David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.
- 184 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-10-7
Hardcover version available
Say Among the Heathen the Lord Reigns: Evidences in Southeast Asia
$24.95
Rev. Jason Kortering (1936–2020) was a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches. From 1992–2006, he and his wife, Jean, were called to missionary labors in Singapore, India, and Myanmar. Say Among the Heathen the Lord Reigns is Jean’s account of those years. The recollections and stories in this book will direct your heart to the Son of God who gathers, defends, and preserves to himself an elect church out of all nations, kindreds, peoples, and tongues.
“Our living in Singapore and other foreign countries for 10+ years was a great blessing for the whole family. Though children and grandchildren gave up their parents and grandparents for the Lord’s work, and we were separated from each other for a while, God remained our constant. He reigns. He reigns over the whole earth and we rejoice. He reigns over the multitude of isles and they are glad (Ps. 97). He rules in America and he rules across the globe. We were separated by many, many miles but we were so close because we worshiped and served the same God. He is supremely sovereign and yet gentle and caring in his love for his people. It was our privilege many years ago to share that truth in a heathen culture.” — Jean Kortering, July 2022
- 368 pages
- paperback
- ISBN 978-1-7368154-41
- Release date: 2022
eBook version available
Reformed Dogmatics - volume 2 (eBook)
$19.95
2nd edition
This is the second in a two-volume series titled Reformed Dogmatics by Herman Hoeksema. A clear, systematic study and exposition of Reformed theology written by a man who held the Chair of Dogmatics for some forty years at the Protestant Reformed seminary, the book is divided into the six generally-accepted branches of theology (theology, anthropology, Christology, soteriology, ecclesiology, and eschatology). This scholarly work is logical, Scripturally sound, and faithful to the Reformed creeds and traditions.
Read a review by M. Eugene Osterhaven (Christianity Today).
Herman Hoeksema (HH) (1886-1965) was ordained into the ministry in the Christian Reformed Churches in 1915. He is considered one of the founding "fathers" of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. He taught in the Seminary of the Protestant Reformed Churches from its founding and until his retirement in 1964.
- 736 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-79-4
Hardcover version available
Unfolding Covenant History: Vol. 3, From Jacob to the Exodus (eBook)
$15.99
Unfolding Covenant History is a series that includes Old Testament history syllabi written by the late Homer C. Hoeksema, with additional syllabi written by David J. Engelsma, his successor as Professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament at the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary in Wyoming, Michigan. Recognizing the work's potential for the edification and comfort to all of God's people, the RFPA originally undertook the publication of this series of hardcover volumes under the editorship of Mark H. Hoeksema, son of Homer Hoeksema.
The unique feature of these volumes, which distinguishes them from other such writings, is their emphasis on the theme of God's covenant of grace as the unifying principle of Old Testament history and of the very gospel itself. The reader's appreciation for this truth will grow during the unfolding of the meaning of the covenant as this history progresses through the books of the Old Testament.
Volume 3 (From Jacob to the Exodus) of the Unfolding series is divided into three parts: the history of Jacob, the history of Joseph, and the history of the bondage and exodus of Israel from Egypt.
Jacob is a very strong character in the history of God's covenant. His sins and shortcomings, as well as his penchant for running ahead of the Lord, are described in detail by the author. Yet, the great strength of his faith in the covenant promise of God is the overriding theme. The history of this father of the tribes of Israel makes for interesting reading.
The history of Joseph is perhaps even more intriguing. The story of his life, from his being sold into slavery to his ascension to a position as ruler of Egypt, is almost stranger than fiction. The author explains how—through the awesome power of God's sovereign providence by means of Joseph—the line of the covenant was preserved, and the fledgling nation of Israel came to live in Egypt.
The section on the bondage and exodus details the increasingly oppressive bondage of God's people. It describes the ten plagues visited by God upon Egypt, culminating in God's powerful deliverance of his people from the land of bondage, which is typical of our deliverance from the dominion of sin.
- 344 pages
- ISBN 978-1-936054-99-2
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Rock Whence We Are Hewn (eBook)
$19.95
The Rock Whence We Are Hewn is comprised of various pamphlets and booklets written very early in the history of the Protestant Reformed Churches—between 1919 and 1940. The authors are two men whom God used in forming these churches, and these foundational writings were used to establish these churches in the beginning of their history.
The title of the book is taken from Isaiah 51:1, “Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.” In this figurative way, the prophet Isaiah called the people of Israel to look to their origins. Likewise, this book's title calls members of the Protestant Reformed Churches to explore the doctrinal truths that are of fundamental importance to the Protestant Reformed Churches still today. By the work of the Spirit, the doctrines confessed, defended, and explained in the writings in this book are the rock whence they were hewn.
This book explains and defends the great doctrines of the Reformed faith that were fundamental to the founding of the Protestant Reformed Churches—that is, covenant; predestination; particular grace; and antithesis.
Read reviews by Herman Hanko and Martyn McGeown.
Henry Danhof and Herman Hoeksema are considered two of the founding "fathers" of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America.
- 544 pages
- hardcover
- ISBN 978-1-936054-96-1
- Edited by David J. Engelsma