The triune God remembers His covenant: “He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations” (The triune God remembers His covenant: “He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations” ( Ps. 105:8 ). But how few are imitators of God in this?
Jehovah commands us to remember His covenant: “Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations” ( I Chron. 16:15 ). How quickly we forget!
Remembering God’s covenant involves keeping it by obeying His Word out of gratitude for His salvation of us in Jesus Christ: “But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them” ( Ps. 103:17-18 ).
God’s saints everywhere who seek sound, practical, biblical instruction as to keeping God’s covenant will welcome the publication of this helpful book. After the first chapter’s explanation of the nature of the covenant that we are called to keep, the five succeeding chapters explain what it is to keep God’s covenant in the church, in marriage, in the home, in parental discipline of children and in an antithetical life. The six chapters of this book were originally the six main addresses at the 2004 British Reformed Fellowship (BRF) Biennial Family Conference at High Leigh, Hertfordshire, England. The members of the BRF rightly decided that these speeches deserved further circulation in book form. As you read on, I trust that you will have cause to thank our heavenly Father for providing you with this edifying book.
The two authors, David Engelsma and Herman Hanko of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America, are members, husbands, fathers, pastors, and professors in Reformed and, therefore, covenantal churches. Both have kept, preached, and written about God’s covenant of friendship in Jesus Christ for many years. Works on this grand theme are included amongst their many books. Prof. Hanko has penned God’s Everlasting Covenant of Grace (1988) and We and Our Children (revised edition 2004). Prof. Engelsma has contributed The Covenant of God and the Children of Believers (2005); and his Trinity and Covenant: God As Holy Family will soon be published (DV).1 Keeping God’s Covenant is a worthy addition to their books on the covenant, especially from its practical perspective.
I commend this book to you with the prayer that it may be used to increase the church’s covenant consciousness leading to more faithful covenant keeping to the honour of the triune God.
Rev. Angus Stewart
BRF Chairman