ON THE LOVE OF GOD…

Occasionally one hears it said by Calvinists that God is good and benevolent to all the children of men but that He loves only the elect. According to Scripture, however, it may be said without the slightest hesitation that God loves all men. But what Scripture does not teach is that God loves all men equally. On the contrary, it tells us that His love for the elect differs qualitatively from His love for others.

FOR WHOM DID CHRIST DIE?, p. 68

APPROPRIATE PREACHING…

I fear that not a few preachers underestimate their audiences. The shallowness of many a sermon constitutes a veritable insult to those who are expected to listen. I feel sure that one reason why some ministers fail to keep their audiences is that they have little but platitudes to offer…I once heard Dr. Warfield say to a class; “Gentlemen, I hope you all will preach over the heads of your audiences. Paul did.” But woe be to the preacher who expresses simply truths, or even deep truths, in a dense way ill order to harvest. the compliment that he is deep. The art of preaching consists largely of expressing deep thoughts in the most simple language. Of that art Jesus was master.

AS TO BEING REFORMED, p. 154, 155

TRUE AND FALSE PEACE…

While the Christian Reformed Church was torn by conflict, many other churches seemed t.o be enjoying enviable peace. But let us not be deceived by the appearance of things. There is a peace which is no peace. Peace obtained at the expense of truth is unworthy of its name. There are churches which ascribe their peace to doctrinal tolerance, while as a matter of fact they are guilty of doctrinal indifference, the wages of which are death….Let no member of the Christian Reformed Church be ashamed of his membership in a denomination which regards purity of doctrine worth fighting for. It is reason for just pride.

AS TO BEING REFORMED, p. 45, 46

WHY THE WORLD CAN PUT UP WITH US…

That the world today can put up with us so very well is, in a measure at least, due to our unfaithfulness. If we were better Christians; if as Christians we boldly testified against the world, it would not be long before the world would lay violent hands on us. And then we too would watch, more eagerly than watchmen for the morning, for the bursting upon us of the day of our redemption. And oh! what unspeakable comfort the sure knowledge of the coming of that would impart to our heaving souls!

WHILE THE BRIDEGROOM TARRIES, p. 262, 263

READY FOR CHRIST…

It is just as important that we learn to serve God in our daily activities that we learn to eat and to drink, to buy and to sell, to build and to plant, to marry and to be given in marriage, unto the honor of God;that we learn to be religious always. Then it will not matter, when Jesus comes, whether we are in the church or in the office or behind the counter or in the factory or at the dinner-table or in bed.

WIHLE THE BRIDEGROOM TARRIES, p. 62

SCRIPTURE MEANS WHAT IT SAYS…

Granted that human language is all imperfect vehicle of truth, yet. it i$ an extremely valuable and altogether usable vehicle. After all, words do have meanings. Stones are not bread, nor is killing synonymous with bringing to life. And so, when Scripture says that God created heaven and earth, this surely means that the universe did not come into existence independently of him. Or, when the Bible tells its readers that there is but one God, it most assuredly rules out polytheism. Here let it be said that the difference between orthodoxy and religious liberalism is 1I0t primarily one of difference of interpretation of Scripture. Their evaluations of Scripture differ radically. The one regards it as the very Word of God, the other does not. The one accepts everyone of as teachings as truth, the other does not. That, rather than exegetical differences, drives them apart.

from “Scriptural Preaching” in THE INFALLIBLE WORD, p. 210, 211

CHURCH DISCIPLINE…

As for discipline, many churches neglect it because they fear it will reduce their membership and thus detract from their glory. But the truth of the matter is that the church which fails to exercise discipline is sure to lose both its self-respect and the respect of those without. Strange though it may seem, the world today despises the church precisely because the church is worldly, and the members of the church by and large take no pride in their membership because it carries with it no distinction.

THE GLORIOUS BODY OF CHRIST, p. 305

THE TASK OF THE CHURCH…

The church’s task is to teach and preach the Word of God. Whatever else it may properly do is subordinate and subsidiary to that task. This is its supreme task.

THE GLORIOUS BODY OF CHRIST, p. 163

WHAT THE CHURCH IS…

Because the church is at once an organism and all organization, it is super-natural without being unnaturaL, invisible but also visible, heavenly and therefore not of the world, yet for the present definitely in the world.

THE GLORIOUS BODY OF CHRIST, p. 119

CONSERVATIVE AND PROGRESSIVE…

It is extremely important that a church be conservative. It must by all means hold fast that which it has in order that no man may take its crown (Rev. 3:11). It is no less important that a church be progressive. Abiding upon the Word of God, it must keep building upon that foundation. Failure to do the former spells destruction. Failure to do the latter can only result in petrifaction.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE REFORMED, p. 33

YOUTH IN THE CHURCH…

The Christian Reformed Church has no more valuable asset than a throng of God-fearing young people. Admittedly, there are also among our youth those who talk and act like—and possibly are—covenant-breakers. These are a small minority, but often they are extremely vocal. Not infrequently they pose as leaders. May the others have the courage to be deaf to their blustering words, to condemn their foul deeds, to spurn their leadership.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE REFORMED, p. 71

WHAT’S WRONG WITH BARTHIANISM?…

It is equally evident that Barthianism destroys the very foundation of Christian preaching. If Holy Scripture is not the very Word of God, how is the preacher to know whether what he preaches is the Word of God? To that question there is no objective answer, nor can there be.

from “Scriptural Preaching” in THE INFALLIBLE WORD, p. 224

AGAINST COMPLACENCY IN CHURCH…

Do I think the Reformed character of the Christian Reformed Church is being threatened? To that question there can be but one answer. Due to the fact that all Christians, Calvinists no less than others, are prone to error and sin, no Reform ed church can afford to be complacent. To take it for granted, as I fear some do, that the Christian Reformed Church will continue sound for, let us say, another century is to do it a vast disservice.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE REFORMED, p. 7

WHAT MAKES CHRISTIANITY DIFFERENT…

Salvation by grace presents the purest motive for godly living. While all other religions tell men to do good in order that they may be saved, Christianity commands Christians to do good because they have been saved. Every other religion says: “Do and live.” Christianity alone says: “Live and do.”

THE GLORIOUS BODY OF CHRIST, p. 190

COVENANT CHILDREN NEED CONVERSION…

On the other hand is the peril that we will take it for granted that our children are on the way to heaven. We need to be reminded that one implication of presumptive regeneration is that not all baptized children are actually regenerated. If all without exception were, we would not speak of presumptive regeneration. It follows that a given child of the covenant may stand in need of the new birth. We also must be told that even those of our children who have been bam again need to be converted. And may we not forget that also a so-called evangelical conversion entails a conviction of sin. In short, there is but one way of salvation. Covenant children, like (Ill others, must learn to know their sinfulness and must cast themselves as hell.deserving and helpless sinners upon the Christ crucified.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE REFORMED, p. 70

THE GOSPEL FOR THE MISSION FIELDS…

Shall we on the mission field soft-pedal the five points of Calvinism? That has been suggested on the ground that in some fields they are not pertinent to the existential situation. But they are an essential part—although not the whole –of the Reformed faith. And what is the Reformed faith? An appendage to the Christian faith? Not by any manner of means. It is the Christian faith itself in its purest and most comprehensive expression. And the five points of Calvinism are none other than an unadulterated formulation of that truth which lies at the very heart of Christianity—salvation by the sovereign grace of God.

TO BE on NOT TO BE REFORMED, p. 180

POPULARITY VERSUS POWER…

Admittedly we are not a popular church. Although Calvinism is said to be growing in popularity, it certainly does not excel in that respect. Suppose the Christian Reformed Church should go out and out liberal or Barthian or dispensational; in any case it would likely grow in recognition, but its influence would unavoidably grow less wholesome and likely less strong. As it is, our influence exceeds our popularity. And that is not a bad situation.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE REFORMED, p. 185, 186

OF THE THINGS TO COME…

The Religion of Humanity will be the religion of the future; as things look today, of the near future. The logical head of that religion will be the Antichrist, who, though man, will sit in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

WHILE THE BRIDEGROOM TARRIES, p. 251