Sermons & Devotionals by Louis Berkof

Christian Amusements Louis Berkhof I. Should a Christian Attend the Theater? 1. The Exact Meaning of This Question. The question is not whether performances in which one person impersonates another are lawful or not. These may be perfectly legitimate. Neither is it whether the persons participating ... Read More

The Character and Influence of Good and Bad Literature Louis Berkhof 1. The CHARACTER of Good and Bad Literature. The word "literature" is here used in a limited sense to denote collectively those literary productions of the human mind that are works of art rather than of science, and that are meant... Read More

Novel-reading Louis Berkhof 1. Negative: Novels do not, as a rule, contain a sound, healthy view of life, a view that corresponds with reality, and as a result raise expectations that are doomed to bitter disappointment. The reading of novels, like the use of liquor, produces unnatural excitement, a... Read More

The Choice of One's Companions Louis Berkhof 1. The Necessity of Choosing Companions. This necessity follows in the first place from the fact that man is a sociable being. He feels the need of and takes great delight in the company of others. The boys and girls that go to school, and the man on his ... Read More

The Work of Missions Louis Berkhof 1. Missionary Motives. The true missionary must first conquer sin in his own life before he can successfully combat it in the lives of others. The missionary motives are naturally derived from the Word of God and from the new life that is born within the hearts of ... Read More

The Work of Christian Charity Louis Berkhof 1. The Character of Christian Charity. Christian charity is, as the name indicates, a specifically Christian virtue, the fruit of saving grace. It is Christian love extended to those that are in misery, a love that reveals itself in a voluntary and unselfi... Read More

Is the Union of All Churches Desirable? Louis Berkhof 1. Affirmative: Such a union is highly desirable in view of the fact that the Church is essentially a unity. This unity should express itself in its outward appearance in the world. The existing division is a practical negation of it. This union ... Read More

Roger Williams Louis Berkhof The different colonies in Massachusetts and later also in Connecticut formed in reality a theocratic state. They restricted the right of voting to church members, so that nearly three-fourths of the people were excluded from the rights of free men. This naturally implied... Read More

Is the Pulpit More Influential than the Press? Louis Berkhof 1. Affirmative: The pulpit comes to man with the Word of God, clothed with divine authority. This Word is binding on the conscience and cannot be set aside at will. The pulpit is more influential than the press in so far as the spoken word... Read More

Must a Christian Take an Active Part in War When Called Upon? Louis Berkhof 1. Affirmative: Through the influence of sin war is, under certain circumstances, a necessity. The sword was entrusted to the government and must be wielded by it in defense of justice. War is not always forbidden, but in se... Read More

Does the State Have the Right to Compel All Children to Attend the Public School? Louis Berkhof 1. Affirmative: The State is vitally interested in the education of its citizens. This is particularly true in the case of a democracy. Illiteracy spells doom for a nation in these times of enlightenment.... Read More