Joel Beeke is President of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary and pastor of Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is a scholar of world renown, and has done much to help in the recovery of Puritan and Reformed theology, not least in books like Puritan Reformed Spirituality, a superb collection of essays on the Puritan view of the spiritual life, and The Quest for Full Assurance, a study of the doctrine of assurance in the tradition of Calvin and his successors.

This new book from Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing tackles the subject of worldliness and the Christian’s battle for holiness. It is an expanded version of four lectures delivered by Dr Beeke in London some years ago on the subject of holiness. The first part draws on the observation of 1 John 5 that the victory which overcomes the world is our faith. The second draws on the teaching of Calvin on piety, which he defines as the right attitude of mind towards God. Drawing on Calvin’s Institutes and his Commentaries, Dr Beeke shows how much this emphasis on right conceptions of God as well as right living before God informs much of Calvin’s thought.

The third section of the book deals with overcoming the world through holiness, and explores how holiness is to be cultivated, what some obstacles to holiness are, and how the Bible encourages us to cultivate holiness. Finally, the book addresses pastors and shows how it is necessary to overcome the world in our ministry.

This book will help give and maintain a biblical perspective on worldliness and holiness. Far from being legalistic, Joel Beeke manages to ground his study in the evangelical emphasis of the New Testament: we cultivate holiness in order to be like Christ, and through the power of Christ. Well-written and clear, these short chapters will enable us to see how the greatest hindrance to our development in grace is in conformity to the styles and philosophies of the world around us. We need grace to fight that daily battle. Through grace we can win it!