by Louis Berkhof
in ePub, .mobi & .pdf formats
This little book is born of the conviction that the subject of the assurance of faith deserves more attention that it often receives in the present day. We are not living in an age in which Christian certitude can be taken for granted. The enemy is exerting himself to destroy the foundation which God has laid for our faith in his excellent Word. Doubts respecting the most fundamental truths of the Bible are rampant everywhere and are also making inroads in the Church of Jesus Christ. Question-marks are fast taking the place of positive assertions of the truth. Such an atmosphere is not conducive to the assurance of salvation, but threatens to rob the Christian of this precious gem. If it ever was necessary to cultivate the assurance of faith, it is necessary to-day, for without it the present generation of Christians will not be equal to the tremendous task that rests upon its shoulders, "to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints," and to guard the good thing that was committed unto it. It is hoped that this little treatise may be of some service in the cultivation of assurance especially among our rising generation. Older catechumens might peruse it with profit. Perhaps it could be used as a gift to those who are making their public profession of faith.
Joel Beeke said of this book, "This book is unsurpassed in its clear, classically Reformed presentation of the threefold foundation of assurance of faith: the promises of God, the inward witness of the Spirit, and the testimony of the Christian graces. Berkhof excels at revealing the direct connection between faith and assurance and counseling believers on the cultivation of that assurance. Covering its history, its foundation, and its experience, Berkhof convinces the reader that assurance ought to be treasured by all believers and that doubt stunts a believer's growth, well-being, and ability to praise the Lord. Having this book available once again is a great blessing."
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Table of Contents
Preface
I. THE QUESTION OF ASSURANCE IN THE PRESENT DAY
II. THE DOCTRINE OF ASSURANCE IN HISTORY
a. At the Time of the Reformation
b. In the Confessional Period
c. In the Last Two Centuries
III. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN FAITH AND ASSURANCE:
a. The Question at Issue
b. The Assurance That Is Essential to Faith
c. The Assurance That Is Not Involved in Faith
IV. THE FOUNDATION OF THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH:
a. The Promises of God
b. The Witness of the Holy Spirit
c. The Testimony of the Christian Graces
V. THE ABSENCE AND CULTIVATION OF ASSURANCE:
a. The Absence of Assurance
b. The Cultivation of Assurance
VI. THE GLORY OF ASSURANCE