Herman Hoeksema
Encyclopedia
Herman Hoeksema was a Dutch Reformed theologian.
Hoeksema was born on 1886-03-12 at Hoogezand
, in the province of Groningen
in the Netherlands
and immigrated to the USA in 1904. After studying at Calvin Theological Seminary
in Grand Rapids/Michigan
, he began his ministerial career in the Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church
of Grand Rapids - by this time one of the largest Reformed congregations in the United States. In 1924 he refused to accept the three points of common grace
, which became official church dogma of the CRC. The result of this controversy was that he and some other ministers with their congregations were put out of the Christian Reformed Church
. These men then established the Protestant Reformed Churches.
Hoeksema served as a long time pastor of the First Protestant Reformed Church of Grand Rapids. He also was professor of theology at the Protestant Reformed Theological School in Grandville, Michigan
for 40 years. Herman Hoeksema died in September 1965 at Grand Rapids.
The Covenant of Grace “is the relation of the most intimate communion of friendship in which God reflects His own covenant life in His relation to the creature, gives to that creature life, and causes him to taste and acknowledge the highest good and the overflowing fountain of all good.”
“To determine the idea of the covenant, it is better to note those passages of Scripture that speak of the relation between God and His covenant people. And then there can no doubt that the emphasis is not on the idea of an agreement, or pact, but rather that of a living relationship between God those whom He has chosen in Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Herman Hoeksema agreed with Luther in his Bondage of the Will that “merit” is an impious word when used concerning man’s relation to God (including Adam’s relationship to God, but not with Christ’s relationship with God as taught concerning man in Luke 17:10, Jesus says, “So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do."
"… First of all, there is the chief objection that this doctrine (The Covenant of Works) finds no support in Scripture. We do read of the probationary command, prohibiting man to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and of the penalty of death threatened in the case of disobedience. But nowhere do we find any proof in Scripture for the contention that God gave to Adam the promise of eternal life if he should obey that particular commandment of God. It is true, of course, that Adam would not have suffered the death penalty if he had obeyed. But this is quite different from saying that he would have attained to glory and immortality. This cannot be deduced or inferred from the penalty of death that was threatened. Adam might have lived everlastingly in his earthly state. He might have continued to eat of the tree of life and live forever; but everlasting earthly life is not the same as what Scripture means by eternal life. And that Adam would have attained to this higher level of heavenly glory, that there would have come a time in his life when he would have been translated, the Scriptures nowhere suggest. Besides, this giving of the probationary command and this threat of the penalty of death are no covenant or agreement, constitute no transaction between God and Adam…. In vain does one look in the Word of God for support of this theory of a covenant of works."
"… it is quite impossible that man should merit a special reward with God. Obedience to God is an obligation. It certainly has its reward, for God is just and rewards the good with good. But obedience has its reward in itself: to obey the Lord our God is life and joy. Sin is misery and death. Life and joy there are in obedience. To keep the commandments of God and to serve Him is a privilege. But the covenant of works teaches that Adam could merit something more, something special, by obeying the command of the Lord.
Hoeksema was born on 1886-03-12 at Hoogezand
Hoogezand
Hoogezand is a village in the municipality Hoogezand-Sappemeer, located in the principality Groningen in northeast Netherlands. The name refers to a higher sanded place in the peatlands cut through when the Winschoterdiep channel was dug. Near this channel in 1618 the village was founded.In the...
, in the province of Groningen
Groningen (province)
Groningen [] is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands. In the east it borders the German state of Niedersachsen , in the south Drenthe, in the west Friesland and in the north the Wadden Sea...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and immigrated to the USA in 1904. After studying at Calvin Theological Seminary
Calvin Theological Seminary
Calvin Theological Seminary is a seminary affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church in North America, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and closely tied to Calvin College, though each institution has its own board. Rev...
in Grand Rapids/Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, he began his ministerial career in the Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church
Christian Reformed Church in North America
The Christian Reformed Church in North America is a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. Having roots in the Dutch Reformed churches of the Netherlands, the Christian Reformed Church was founded by Gijsbert Haan and Dutch immigrants who left the Reformed Church in...
of Grand Rapids - by this time one of the largest Reformed congregations in the United States. In 1924 he refused to accept the three points of common grace
Common grace
Common Grace is a theological concept in Protestant Christianity, primarily in Reformed and Calvinistic circles, referring to the grace of God that is either common to all humankind, or common to everyone within a particular sphere of influence...
, which became official church dogma of the CRC. The result of this controversy was that he and some other ministers with their congregations were put out of the Christian Reformed Church
Christian Reformed Church in North America
The Christian Reformed Church in North America is a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. Having roots in the Dutch Reformed churches of the Netherlands, the Christian Reformed Church was founded by Gijsbert Haan and Dutch immigrants who left the Reformed Church in...
. These men then established the Protestant Reformed Churches.
Hoeksema served as a long time pastor of the First Protestant Reformed Church of Grand Rapids. He also was professor of theology at the Protestant Reformed Theological School in Grandville, Michigan
Grandville, Michigan
Grandville is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 16,263 at the 2000 census. Grandville is one of the oldest suburbs of Grand Rapids, and was incorporated as a city in 1933....
for 40 years. Herman Hoeksema died in September 1965 at Grand Rapids.
Works
As editor of the Protestant Reformed Magazine, the "Standard Bearer" he also authored many books including:- Whosoever Will, a negative critique of ArminianArminianismArminianism is a school of soteriological thought within Protestant Christianity based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius and his historic followers, the Remonstrants...
ProtestantismProtestantismProtestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the... - Righteous by Faith Alone, Herman Hoeksema's sermons on the book of RomansEpistle to the RomansThe Epistle of Paul to the Romans, often shortened to Romans, is the sixth book in the New Testament. Biblical scholars agree that it was composed by the Apostle Paul to explain that Salvation is offered through the Gospel of Jesus Christ...
in the 1930s - Behold He cometh, a commentary on the book of RevelationRevelationIn religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing, through active or passive communication with a supernatural or a divine entity...
- The Triple Knowledge, the most extensive work in the English language on the Heidelberg CatechismHeidelberg CatechismThe Heidelberg Catechism is a Protestant confessional document taking the form of a series of questions and answers, for use in teaching Reformed Christian doctrine...
- Reformed Dogmatics, Herman Hoeksema considered this his major work and is a frequent quoted writing especially in opposition to the "covenant of worksCovenant TheologyCovenant theology is a conceptual overview and interpretive framework for understanding the overall flow of the Bible...
."
Theology
Herman Hoeksema was unique in his emphasis of the Covenant of Grace in that God’s love for His chosen was an unconditional love of a friendship where the believers walked with God like Enoch and Noah; and, like Abraham, were “friend[s] of God”. That this covenant of friendship is not a unilateral or bilateral agreement and it does not contain conditions, requirements or demands, as usually claimed by dogmaticians.The Covenant of Grace “is the relation of the most intimate communion of friendship in which God reflects His own covenant life in His relation to the creature, gives to that creature life, and causes him to taste and acknowledge the highest good and the overflowing fountain of all good.”
“To determine the idea of the covenant, it is better to note those passages of Scripture that speak of the relation between God and His covenant people. And then there can no doubt that the emphasis is not on the idea of an agreement, or pact, but rather that of a living relationship between God those whom He has chosen in Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Herman Hoeksema agreed with Luther in his Bondage of the Will that “merit” is an impious word when used concerning man’s relation to God (including Adam’s relationship to God, but not with Christ’s relationship with God as taught concerning man in Luke 17:10, Jesus says, “So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do."
"… First of all, there is the chief objection that this doctrine (The Covenant of Works) finds no support in Scripture. We do read of the probationary command, prohibiting man to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and of the penalty of death threatened in the case of disobedience. But nowhere do we find any proof in Scripture for the contention that God gave to Adam the promise of eternal life if he should obey that particular commandment of God. It is true, of course, that Adam would not have suffered the death penalty if he had obeyed. But this is quite different from saying that he would have attained to glory and immortality. This cannot be deduced or inferred from the penalty of death that was threatened. Adam might have lived everlastingly in his earthly state. He might have continued to eat of the tree of life and live forever; but everlasting earthly life is not the same as what Scripture means by eternal life. And that Adam would have attained to this higher level of heavenly glory, that there would have come a time in his life when he would have been translated, the Scriptures nowhere suggest. Besides, this giving of the probationary command and this threat of the penalty of death are no covenant or agreement, constitute no transaction between God and Adam…. In vain does one look in the Word of God for support of this theory of a covenant of works."
"… it is quite impossible that man should merit a special reward with God. Obedience to God is an obligation. It certainly has its reward, for God is just and rewards the good with good. But obedience has its reward in itself: to obey the Lord our God is life and joy. Sin is misery and death. Life and joy there are in obedience. To keep the commandments of God and to serve Him is a privilege. But the covenant of works teaches that Adam could merit something more, something special, by obeying the command of the Lord.
See also
- Covenant theologyCovenant TheologyCovenant theology is a conceptual overview and interpretive framework for understanding the overall flow of the Bible...
- Herman BavinckHerman BavinckHerman Bavinck was a Dutch Reformed theologian and churchman.-Background:Bavinck was born in the town of Hoogeveen in the Netherlands to a German father. He first went to theological school at Kampen, but then moved on to Leiden for further training...
- Hyper-CalvinismHyper-CalvinismHyper-Calvinism is a pejorative term referring to a denial of the free offer of the gospel and duty-faith. The term "Hyper-Calvinism" is used in the writings of Iain Murray, Curt Daniel, Peter Toon and others who seek to defend the free offer of the gospel as well as duty faith.The controversy over...
- Gerrit Cornelis BerkouwerGerrit Cornelis BerkouwerGerrit Cornelis Berkouwer was for years the leading theologian of the Gereformeerde Kerken in the Netherlands . He occupied the Chair in systematic theology of the Faculty of Theology, Free University in Amsterdam.Berkouwer was born in The Hague. He was raised in Zaandam...
- Klaas SchilderKlaas SchilderKlaas Schilder was a theologian and professor in the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and later in the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands .Schilder was born into a state church family...
External links
- Protestant Reformed Churches Home Page
- History of the Protestant Reformed Churches
- Reformed Free Publishing Association — the publisher of Hoeksema's books
- Herman Hoeksema: Theologian and Reformer — a biographical article by Prof. Herman Hanko
- Studies in Bible Doctrine — a project of Rev. Bernard Woudenberg, a student and contemporary of Herman Hoeksema.
The site includes an account of the debate with Klaas Schilder regarding the Covenant of Grace. - Audio Sermons of Rev. Herman Hoeksema
- Dr. Herman Hoeksema, Reformed.net