Joel R. Beeke – författare

Despite the acknowledged importance of confessional statements throughout church history, the most significant of these documents have never before been published in a single volume. Now Drs. Beeke and Ferguson have harmonized seven important Reformed confessions into a convenient parallel arrangement. The seven confessions were produced by three different strands among the European churches. From the Dutch-German reformers came the Belgic Confession of Faith (1561), the Heidelberg Catechism (1563), and the Canons of Dort (1618-19). The Swiss churches contributed the Second Helvetic Confession (1566). And the Scottish-English tradition was set down in the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646-47) and the Larger and Shorter Westminster Catechisms (1647). The unique feature of this volume is the editors' arrangement of the various confessions in parallel columns under the traditional subject headings of systematic theology. Readers can compare the formulations on particular points of doctrine, such as the trinity, justification, Christian liberty, and baptism. While elaborating the differences that existed between the various national churches, the comparisons also underscore the fundamental unity regarding the basic tenets of the faith. This confessional harmony is further enhanced by the editors' historical introduction to the subject. They also provide an extensive annotated bibliography of Reformed theological writings that will serve as a useful guide for readers who desire to undertake further study. In all, this is an important resource for students and pastors interested in the historical foundations of the Reformed tradition."

In his 100th work, Joel Beeke writes on the power and beauty of true, secure assurance of faith: the heartfelt conviction that one belongs to Christ through faith and will enjoy everlasting salvation. This title opens up Dr. Beeke’s expertise and learning for anyone ‘trapped in a background of easy believism or trapped in the opposite fear of assurance being the certain mark of being presumptuous and so crushing the young shoots of hope and assurance as they appear.’

The mountains are dark and looming as the lightening splits across the sky. The forest offers shelter and in the distance the traveller spots a lamp. Rushing towards the door he doesn’t realise that someone has planned this journey – there is a woman in the house who needs to hear about her loving Savior, Jesus Christ. God has sent the traveller to tell her about himself.   There are lots of stories in this book. Read about the thunderstorm, some hidden treasure and a Bible in a suitcase as well as many other stories about how we should live for God and read his word.

As the pirates near the helpless ship they raise their grappling irons and prime their cannons for battle. The captain stands ready to defend his vessel and the lives of the people on board. The missionaries go to their cabins to pray. Can anyone stop these pirates? God can.There are lots of stories in this book. Read about the pirates, a burglar and a Russian servant girl as well as many other stories about the amazing things that missionaries get up to as well as how God can change lives.Scriptural references are taken from the King James Version of the Bible and the questions are based on this. Suitable for 7-12 year olds.

It was the longest drought that anyone in the county had ever seen. Everyone was praying for rain. The fields were dry, the animals were thirsty and everyone was really hot. But only one little girl really believed that God would answer and she taught her minister a lesson. Find out how she did this by reading the rest of the story and others in this book. Read about the drought, the poor man who was made rich and the shepherd boy who lost his sheep. You will also read about people and lots of children who faithfully stood up for Jesus. Scriptural references are taken from the King James Version of the Bible and the questions are based on this. Suitable for 7–12 year olds.

Emma and Alex have had nothing to eat all day and there is no food in the kitchen or the store cupboard. Their mother has no money to buy food and all that she can do is pray that somehow, someone will send them something to eat. But in the morning something is scratching at the door and the children go out to investigate.Find out who or what it is and discover how God has answered the families' prayers. Read other stories too about flying bread, Martha's Raven and the Stolen Sleigh. You will find out about how God cares for us and about how Children can believe in him. Scriptural references are taken from the King James Version of the Bible and the questions are based on this. Suitable for 7-12 year olds.

The Synod of Dort was an international conference of Reformed leaders held in 16181619 in the Netherlands. It is famous for its so-called Five Points of Calvinism which were a refutation of the Five Remonstrances of the followers of Arminius on the nature of divine grace and the perseverance of believers unto eternal salvation. As an international Synod, Dort made a significant impact on the definition and development of Reformed orthodoxy for decades and centuries to come. In countries such as France, the Canons of Dort served as a confessional boundary for Reformed orthodoxy and all pastors had to swear allegiance to them. Despite its tremendous influence, the decisions of the Synod of Dort remain a mystery to many today and are subject to caricatures and stereotypes of an extreme divine determinism and the hijacking of Calvins pure theology. This volume seeks to shed light on various aspects of the Synod of Dort in order to inform the contemporary reader of its proper historical and theological context and its experiential emphases. Some leading scholars of post-Reformation Reformed thought and the Synod have contributed essays to this work. The book is divided into three major sections designed to deliver a better overall perspective on the Synod. The first section focuses on the reception of the Canons of Dort among the Reformed churches in France where they were accepted and enforced. However, there were some internal questions, concerns, and even objections to the canons which are detailed in these chapters. The second section hones in on the theology of the Canons of Dort with particular attention to the doctrines of election and the nature of the atonement. This section also includes an important chapter on the relationship between church and state, always a central concern in the Reformation and post-Reformation eras. Finally, the third major section looks at how believers could apply the theology to their daily lives and devotion to Christ. These chapters indicate that this was not merely a theological conference, but one that had practical and experiential implications as well. The book concludes with a chapter on the application of the Synod for believers today.

The Synod of Dort was an international conference of Reformed leaders held in 1618–1619 in the Netherlands. It is famous for its so-called Five Points of Calvinism which were a refutation of the Five Remonstrances of the followers of Arminius on the nature of divine grace and the perseverance of believers unto eternal salvation. As an international Synod, Dort made a significant impact on the definition and development of Reformed orthodoxy for decades and centuries to come. In countries such as France, the Canons of Dort served as a confessional boundary for Reformed orthodoxy and all pastors had to swear allegiance to them. Despite its tremendous influence, the decisions of the Synod of Dort remain a mystery to many today and are subject to caricatures and stereotypes of an extreme divine determinism and the hijacking of Calvin''s pure theology. This volume seeks to shed light on various aspects of the Synod of Dort in order to inform the contemporary reader of its proper historical and theological context and its experiential emphases. Some leading scholars of post-Reformation Reformed thought and the Synod have contributed essays to this work.The book is divided into three major sections designed to deliver a better overall perspective on the Synod. The first section focuses on the reception of the Canons of Dort among the Reformed churches in France where they were accepted and enforced. However, there were some internal questions, concerns, and even objections to the canons which are detailed in these chapters. The second section hones in on the theology of the Canons of Dort with particular attention to the doctrines of election and the nature of the atonement. This section also includes an important chapter on the relationship between church and state, always a central concern in the Reformation and post-Reformation eras. Finally, the third major section looks at how believers could apply the theology to their daily lives and devotion to Christ. These chapters indicate that this was not merely a theological conference, but one that had practical and experiential implications as well. The book concludes with a chapter on the application of the Synod for believers today.

Joel R. Beeke''s work is an academic monograph of historical theology that examines three flashpoints of controversy in Reformation and Post-Reformation theology. As the subtitle, Early Lutheran Predestination, Calvinian Reprobation, and Variations in Genevan Lapsarianism implies, the work addresses, first, the development of the Lutheran doctrine of predestination from Martin Luther (1483–1546) and Philip Melanchthon (1497–1560) to the Formula of Concord (1577); second, the development of John Calvin''s (1509–1564) doctrine of reprobation as traced through his writings; and third, the doctrine of predestination in Geneva with a particular emphasis on lapsarianism from Theodore Beza (1519–1605) in the sixteenth century to Jean-Alphonse Turretin (1671–1737) and Jacob Vernet (1698–1789) in the eighteenth century.The fruit of three decades of study by a professor of systematic theology who specializes in Reformation and Post-Reformation theology, this book offers a harvest of insights into questions that stood at the center of Reformation debates. Dr. Donald Sinnema, a leading scholar in predestinarian theology and the Synod of Dort, writes: "Beeke addresses these difficult matters with sensitivity to historical context and development, with systematic acuity, and a broad grasp of secondary scholarly literature with which he dialogues. The result is a balanced analysis of these issues that should bring greater clarity to scholarly understanding of the doctrine of predestination in the early modern era."

Wenn wir über die Geburt Christi nachdenken, richten wir unsere Aufmerksamkeit oft auf den detaillierten Bericht des Lukas-Evangeliums. Aber um den Hauptpunkt der Geschichte zu verstehen nämlich, dass der ewige Sohn Gottes unsere menschliche Natur aus Fleisch und Blut angenommen hat , müssen wir aus der gesamten Bibel lernen, warum Christus wirklich auf die Erde kam.Warum ist Christus gekommen? Diese 31 Antworten ermutigen Dich, die Geburt Christi tiefgründiger zu verstehen und klarer zu sehen, wie sie mit Seinem gesamten Wirken verbunden ist, und Du kannst ihre Bedeutung für Dein Leben begreifen.»Warum Christus kam« eignet sich gut für Familienandachten oder für die persönliche Stille Zeit nicht nur in der Adventszeit. Mit einem Einband aus Kunstleder und mit Goldprägung und einem wunderschönen Design ist dies ein perfektes Geschenk für geliebte Menschen.

Lass mich dir zwei Dinge sagen:1. Bibellesen ist harte Arbeit.2. Es lohnt sich auf jeden Fall.Die meisten Christen wissen, dass sie die Bibel lesen sollten; sie wissen, dass die Bibel sie weise macht und ihr Wachstum fördert. Viele haben es auch versucht, die Bibel täglich zu lesen und sogar zu studieren. Doch irgendwann erschien es ihnen zu schwer, und sie gaben auf. Wie bekomme ich Freude am Bibellesen?Hier ist ein kleines Buch, das weise Richtlinien dafür enthält, wie man das wichtigste Buch der Welt lesen sollte. Wende sie an, und du wirst feststellen, dass die Bibel dein Leben verändert. Und du wirst sie lieben und die Zeit mit ihr schätzen.Bibellesen ist harte Arbeit, aber – sie ist es wert.

• Wie kann ich Gottesfurcht und Liebe in der Familie fördern?• Wie kann eine Gemeinde wachsen?• Was kann unsere Gesellschaft verändern?Joel Beeke zeigt in diesem Buch, dass ein Schlüssel für Erweckung in Familie, Gemeinde und Gesellschaft die Familienandacht ist. Dies ist nicht bloß ein idealistischer Vorschlag zur Entstehung gottesfürchtiger Familien, sondern wird in der ganzen Heiligen Schrift als feierliche Pflicht dargestellt.Mit großer seelsorgerlicher Sorgfalt gibt Beeke wertvolle Einblicke in die Umsetzung der Familienandacht. Er antwortet auf häufige Einwände, die dagegen erhoben werden, und motiviert den Leser, diese Pflicht in Treue durchzuführen.

• Wie sollen wir als Christen zur Homosexualität stehen?• Was lehrt die Bibel über sexuelle Beziehungen zwischen Menschen desselben Geschlechts?• Erfordert wahre Liebe, dass wir alle Formen sexueller Ausdrucksweise akzeptieren?In der Bibel offenbart Gott, dass Er Geschlecht, Sex und Ehe geschaffen, definiert und ihnen eine Bestimmung zugedacht hat, die wir nicht nach unserem Willen verändern dürfen. Durch Seine Gesetze und Sein Handeln in der Geschichte hat der Schöpfer deutlich gemacht, worüber Er sich freut und was Er segnet – und was Er verabscheut und bestraft.Die Bibel warnt uns, dass jede Sünde, die wir begehen, uns unter das Gericht Gottes führt. Doch sie spricht ebenfalls mit absoluter Klarheit über die vollständige und umfassende Erlösung in Jesus Christus für diejenigen, die in Buße und Glauben zu Ihm kommen. In Seiner Gnade schenkt Gott ihnen durch Seinen Geist eine neue Identität, Vergebung, ewiges Leben und die Kraft, nach Seinen Geboten zu leben. Das ist die Botschaft, die alle Menschen hören müssen: Gottes Gebote haben sich nicht geändert, aber Gottes Gnade bietet bußfertigen Sündern durch Jesus Christus Hoffnung.

Was macht eine Ehe wirklich glücklich? Was zeichnet eine biblische Ehe aus? Wie kann unsere Ehe die Beziehung zwischen Christus und der Gemeinde widerspiegeln?Joel Beeke ist seit mehr als 45 Jahren Pastor. Gemeinsam mit seiner Frau Mary haben sie mit vielen Paaren Ehevorbereitungsseminare durchgeführt und viele Ehepaare in ihren Schwierigkeiten beraten. In diesem Buch stellen die Beekes zehn biblische Prinzipien vor, auf die sie in ihrer Beratung Wert legen.Vielleicht ist bei dir und deinem Ehepartner ein Check-up eurer Beziehung fällig. Wenn ja, solltest du dich anhand der wichtigen Merkmale für eine biblische Ehe, die du in diesem Buch findest, sorgfältig prüfen. Wenn du dich bemühst, diese Prinzipien in die Praxis umzusetzen und deine Ehe auf Christus auszurichten, wird sie sicher aufblühen; denn Gottes Gnade ist größer als unser Versagen, und das Evangelium ist stärker als unsere Schwachheit.