Seminary professor and former pastor, David J. Engelsma, exposes the evil of divorce and remarriage in the light of Scripture, critically examines the marriage doctrine of the Reformers, and calls Protestant Christianity to reconsider the teaching of the early church. This instructive book (a kind of Reformed marriage manual) develops the rich meaning of Christian marriage in light of the apostle Paul's teaching in Ephesians 5 that marriage is the great mystery of Christ and the church. With a vigorously Scriptural approach, the author shows what this implies for such timeless—but timely!—matters as the relationship of husband and wife; sex; children; divorce; and mixed marriage. The book concludes with a spirited defense of an unbreakable marriage bond. The second section is the history of the church's doctrine of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. Working with the writings of the church fathers, the Reformers, and contemporary Protestant theologians, as well as with various studies on marriage and divorce, the author traces the fatal departure of the Reformers from the doctrine of marriage held by the early church. He demonstrates that this departure has led inevitably to the marital chaos that devastates Reformed and evangelical communities today. Indexes of names mentioned and Scriptures cited are included.

Marriage : The Mystery of Christ and the Church

David J. Engelsma

Reformed Free Pub. Association : distributed by Kregel Publications

Is there a "well-meant offer" of salvation to all men? Or is the call of the gospel restricted to the elect only? Is there an alternative to these two extremes? This book sets forth and defends the Reformed position of the gospel call to all mankind.

Hyper-Calvinism and the Call of the Gospel

Reformed Free Publishing Association

Better to Marry provides straightforward, practical instruction for single and married believers alike, taken directly from the classic Bible passages on sex and marriage. An appendix treating the remarriage of the "innocent party" is also included.

Better to Marry

Self-Help

Relationships

Reformed Free Pub. Assoc

Seminary professor and former pastor, David J. Engelsma, exposes the evil of divorce and remarriage in the light of Scripture, critically examines the marriage doctrine of the Reformers, and calls Protestant Christianity to reconsider the teaching of the early church. 
This instructive book (a kind of Reformed marriage manual) develops the rich meaning of Christian marriage in light of the apostle Paul's teaching in Ephesians 5 that marriage is the great mystery of Christ and the church. With a vigorously Scriptural approach, the author shows what this implies for such timeless—but timely!—matters as the relationship of husband and wife; sex; children; divorce; and mixed marriage. The book concludes with a spirited defense of an unbreakable marriage bond. 
The second section is the history of the church's doctrine of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. Working with the writings of the church fathers, the Reformers, and contemporary Protestant theologians, as well as with various studies on marriage and divorce, the author traces the fatal departure of the Reformers from the doctrine of marriage held by the early church. He demonstrates that this departure has led inevitably to the marital chaos that devastates Reformed and evangelical communities today. 
Indexes of names mentioned and Scriptures cited are included.

Marriage, The Mystery of Christ and the Church: The Covenant-Bond in Scripture and History

Religion & Spirituality

Christian Books & Bibles

The message of this long-respected book, recently revised, is what is meant - and not meant - by Reformed Christian education for covenant youth in day schools organized and maintained by believing parents. Though a "quick read," this book has been a highly valued resource of school boards and should be reread periodically by parents, grandparents, school administrators and teachers, indeed by all professing Christians who take seriously their responsibility toward the generations to be born and those now growing to adulthood in a society that is increasingly secular and sinful. The chapters cover the basis of Christian education, the place of Scripture in the schools, the views of culture to be taught so that students can take their productive places in society, the attributes to be looked for in teachers, and the ultimate goal of Reformed education. Footnotes and bibliography are included.

Reformed Education

Education & Teaching

Schools & Teaching

Widely known evangelical leader Richard J. Mouw has recently renewed the case for a common grace of God. In his book, He Shines in All That's Fair: Culture and Common Grace (Eerdmans, 2001), Dr. Mouw recommends to all Christians the theory of common grace, Mouw contends, is essential for Christian life in society, especially the Christian's cooperation with non-Christians in forming good, godly culture. 
Common Grace Revisited is a response to Mouw's apology for common grace. It considers Mouw's arguments for common grace, examines Kuyperian (and now Mouwian) common grace in the light of Scripture and Reformed confessions, and proposes an alternative to common grace as the basis and motive of the Christian's life in society. 
The doctrine of common grace must not go untested. There are solid, indeed urgent, reasons, both theological and practical, for challenging its claim to be part of the body of Reformed truth. Common Grace Revisited presents some of these reasons. 
Those who have read He Shines in All That's Fair, as well as those who accept common grace, perhaps uncritically, as the power of the Christian life in the world, will do well to read Common Grace Revisited.

Common Grace Revisited

Judges and Ruth, the fifth volume in the Unfolding Covenant History series, continues the exposition of Old Testament history from the viewpoint of God's covenant faithfulness toward his people in the old dispensation. Professor David J. Engelsma now becomes the author, intending to finish in this and succeeding volumes what Professor Homer C. Hoeksema began. 
Part 1 traces the dark history of the time of the judges with its recurring themes of Israel's departure from Jehovah to serve heathen idols, God's chastisement of his people by delivering them to the persecution and dominance of their enemies, their crying to him for help in their distress, and the Lord's gracious deliverance of them by various judges. The conclusion of this downward line of the history of God's people illustrates the necessity of a theocratic king in Israel, as expressed in the words of Judges 21:25: "In those days there was no king in Israel." 
Part 2 explains the familiar but amazing history of Ruth, which illustrates vividly the truth of God's sovereign redemption in the salvation of the Gentiles and the inclusion of Ruth into the line of the covenant so that she becomes the grandmother of King David, the savior of Israel as the theocratic king and the type of Christ.

Unfolding Covenant History: An Exposition of the Old Testament - Vol. 5: Judges & Ruth

Reformed Theologian David J. Engelsma contends for Calvinism against one of the gravest threats to Reformed Christianity since the Synod of Dordt in the early seventeenth century. The threat is the denial not only of justification by faith alone, but also of all the doctrines of grace. Like the Arminians heresy, the contemporary attack on the Reformed faith comes from within. It is found in those Reformed and Presbyterian churches that still claim adherence to the Reformation creeds. Those who launch the attack occupy pulpits and seminary chairs in these reputedly conservative churches. What makes the attack especially dangerous is that it consists of a development of a doctrine of the covenant that is popular in Reformed and Presbyterian churches. The newest form of the age-old attack on the gospel of salvation by sovereign grace is covenant doctrine. It called itself the Â“federal vision,Â” that is, Â“covenant vision.Â” The Covenant of God and the Children of Believers defends the Reformed faith against the current attack by exposing the doctrine of the covenant from which the attack arises. This is something that few, if any, of the opponents of the federal visions have done. 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 around 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. These are truths of the greatest practical importance for godly parents, as also for Reformed churches and Christian schools. Consideration of the inclusion of children in the covenant enables the author to distinguish the covenant views of the Protestant Reformed Churches, Baptists, the Netherlands Reformed Congregations, and the Canadian Reformed Churches (Â“liberatedÂ”). Leading representatives of these churches and traditions join in the discussion. An entire chapter is devoted to the comfort of godly parents at the death of infant children. All those who are concerned about the contemporary controversy over justification, as well as those who simply have an interest in the covenant of God with the children of believers, will benefit from this book.

The Covenant of God and the Children of Believers: Sovereign Grace in the Covenant

A church reformed and always reforming, according to the word of God means that the truly Reformed church continues to live by the word of God from age to age, applies it to every aspect of her life, maintains the sound doctrine of the creeds from generation to generation; resists every threat to the Reformed faith, and develops the truth of the Reformed faith. Always Reforming demonstrated that the Spirit of Christ has carried on the reforming work of Christ in the sixteenth century in one particular branch of the church of the Reformation. A successor to The Sixteenth-Century Reformation of the Church, this book traces the continuing reformation in the Netherlands in the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries and in the Protestant Reformed Churches in North America in the twentieth century. The fivefold division of this book recognizes the ongoing reformation of these Reformed churches as having taken place in five distinct and doctrinally significant controversies. David J. Engelsma is emeritus professor of theology at the Protestant Reformed Seminary, Grandville, Michigan.

Always Reforming: Continuation of the Sixteenth-Century Reformation

Editor)

Originally published as a series of articles in the Standard Bearer magazine, "Christ's Spiritual Kingdom: A Defense of Reformed Amillennialism" is a must read for those struggling with the "ill-winds" of the Christian Reconstruction Postmillennial and Dispensationalist Premillennial views being presented today. In clear and easily understood language, the author brings to focus the true meaning and implication of the often-used term "Kingdom of God". The truth of Scripture is logically and forthrightly presented against the falsehoods of the Dispensationalists, the Christian Reconstructionists, and the Theonomists prevalent in today's society and in much of the church world. The book leaves no doubt concerning the Reformed perspective of the end-times and the coming of Christ's heavenly kingdom.

Christ's Spiritual Kingdom: A Defense of Reformed Amillennialism

The Reformed Witness

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Books by David J. Engelsma