Jeremiah records how the people “found grace in the wilderness” in Jeremiah 31:2.
We observe how grace enabled Esther to receive favour with the king in Esther 2:16-17. In his first letter to the Corinthians, 15:10 (KJV) Paul wrote: “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” Paul attributes his good work to the grace of God. Faith leads to God’s undeserved favour, and this is available freely. It is given freely by God because of our faith.
There is nothing that we do that justifies God’s grace. The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV): “For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” This is a book that helps us understand that Dort certainly is not just history and we must keep working with its message.Grace is God’s kindness, His gracious generosity, His undeserved favour and spiritual blessing. “DeYoung manages to bring an event from four hundred years ago right back into the present needs of the church and of theology, with clear style, solid theological insights, pastoral tone, and helpful clarification of difficult but biblical notions. Ferguson, Chancellor’s Professor of Systematic Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary Teaching Fellow, Ligonier Ministries Grace Defined and Defended helps us to do all three.” - Sinclair B. As twenty-first-century Christians we need to (1) remember that ‘those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it’ (2) meet believers who thought deeply and cared passionately about the glory of God in the gospel and (3) put roots into nourishing theological soil that will give clarity to our thinking, create stability in our living, and put doxology into our serving. “Why would a finger-on-the-pulse, contemporary pastor-theologian like Kevin DeYoung take us on a journey four hundred years into the past to a place few of us could locate on a map to meet people whose names we are unable to pronounce? And why should we join him? I can think of at least three reasons. Beeke, President and Professor of Systematic Theology and Homiletics, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary Pastor, Heritage Reformed Congregation, Grand Rapids, Michigan author, Reformed Preaching DeYoung’s brief exposition of the canons is ideal for personal study, doctrine classes, and small groups that aim to better understand the controversy over Arminianism and why the Reformed doctrine of salvation by grace alone leads us to live for the glory of God alone.” - Joel R. Yet this historic statement of faith abounds with biblical truth wisely designed to encourage love for the triune God and evangelism of the lost. “Though many Reformed Christians talk about TULIP, too often they neglect the rich soil from which that flower springs: the Canons of Dort.
Kevin and his wife, Trisha, have eight children. He is the author of several books, including Just Do Something Crazy Busy and The Biggest Story. He serves as board chairman of the Gospel Coalition and blogs at DeYoung, Restless, and Reformed. Kevin DeYoung (PhD, University of Leicester) is the senior pastor at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, North Carolina, and assistant professor of systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary (Charlotte). He Who Began a Good Work Will Bring It to Completion:Īppendix 1: Rejection of the Errors by Which the Dutch Churches Have for Some Time Been DisturbedĪppendix 2: Conclusion: Rejection of False AccusationsĪppendix 3: The Opinions of the Remonstrants (1618)Īppendix 4: Scripture Proofs in the Canons of Dort.The Third and Fourth Main Points of Doctrine God's Purpose and Good Pleasure in Predestination:.