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Herman Bavinck – Can We Comprehend the Mysteries of God?

3 Oct

Naturally it is also not the intent of Scripture to say that the believer grasps those mysteries [of God] in a scientific sense. We walk by faith, after all; we know in part and now see in a mirror dimly (Rom. 11:34; 1 Cor. 13:12; 2 Cor. 5:7). But believers do know those mysteries; they are no longer a folly and an offense to them; they do marvel at Gods wisdom and love manifest in them. “The secret of God ought to produce earnest people, not hostile ones” (Augustine). It does not even occur to them, therefore, that the mysteries surpass their reason, that they are above reason; they do not experience them as an oppressive burden but rather as intellectual liberation. Their faith turns into wonder; knowledge terminates in adoration; and their confession becomes a song of praise and thanksgiving. Of this kind, too, is the knowledge of God theology aims for. It is not just a knowing, much less a comprehending; it is better and more glorious than that: it is the knowledge which is life, “eternal life” (John 17:3).

~Herman Bavinck~


Reformed Dogmatics Vol. 1: Prolegomena (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Academic; 2003) p. 261.

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Herman Bavinck – A Theologian’s Sole Responsibilty

23 Sep

The imperative task of the dogmatician is to think God’s thoughts after him and to trace their unity. His work is not finished until he has mentally absorbed this unity and set it forth in a dogmatics. Accordingly, he does not come to God’s revelation with a ready-made system in order, as best he can, to force its content into it. On the contrary, even in his system a theologian’s sole responsibility is to think God’s thoughts after him and to reproduce the unity that is objectively present in the thoughts of god and has been recorded for the eye of faith in Scripture.

~Herman Bavinck~


Reformed Dogmatics Vol. 1: Prolegomena (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Academic; 2003) p. 44.

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Charles Spurgeon – A Balm For Every Wound

18 Jul

Oh, there is, in contemplating Christ, a balm for every wound! In musing on the Father, there is a quietus for every grief and in the influence of the Holy Spirit there is a balsam for every sore. Would you lose your sorrows? Would you drown your cares? Then go plunge yourself in the Godhead’s deepest sea—be lost in His immensity. And you shall come forth as from a couch of rest, refreshed and invigorated. I know nothing which can so comfort the soul, so calm the swelling billows of grief and sorrow—so speak peace to the winds of trial—as a devout musing upon the subject of the Godhead.

~Charles Spurgeon~


Spurgeon’s Sermons Vol. 1 – From a Sermon Delivered on January 7, 1855 titled: The Immutability of God. http://grace-ebooks.com. ebook. p. 1.

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Charles Spurgeon – Thoughts of God

7 Jul

It has been said by someone that “the proper study of mankind is man.” I will not oppose the idea, but I believe it is equally true that the proper study of God’s elect is God. The proper study of a Christian is the Godhead. The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy which can ever engage the attention of a child of God is the name, the nature, the Person, the work, the doings and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father. There is something exceedingly improving to the mind in a contemplation of the Divinity. It is a subject so vast, that all our thoughts are lost in its immensity—so deep that our pride is drowned in its infinity. Other subjects we can compass and grapple with—in them we feel a kind of self-content and go our way with the thought, “Behold I am wise.” But when we come to this master science, finding that our plumb line cannot sound its depth and that our eagle eye cannot see its height, we turn away with the thoughts that vain man would be wise, but he is like a wild ass’ colt and with the solemn exclamation, “I am but of yesterday and know nothing.” No subject of contemplation will tend more to humble the mind, than thoughts of God.

~Charles Spurgeon~


Spurgeon’s Sermons Vol. 1 – From a Sermon Delivered on January 7, 1855 titled: The Immutability of God. http://grace-ebooks.com. ebook. p. 1.

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Martin Luther – The Sum of All Divine Doctrine

2 Jun

The sum of all divine doctrine is simply Jesus Christ.

~Martin Luther~









Luther’s Epistle Sermons: Epiphany, Easter and Pentecost (Minneapolis, Minnesota; The Luther Press; 1909) Excerpted from a sermon titled: The Fruits of Faith. Our Spiritual Service. Preached on the first Sunday after Epiphany on Romans 12:1-6p. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28464. eBook

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Herman Bavinck – Theology: The Queen of Sciences

1 Jun

In the circle of the sciences, theology is entitled to the place of honor, not because of the persons who pursue this science, but in virtue of the object it pursues; it is and remains–provided this expression is correctly understood–the queen of sciences.

~Herman Bavinck~




Reformed Dogmatics Vol. 1: Prolegomena (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Academic; 2003) p. 54.

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