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Reformed Ethics #2
Reformed Ethics, Volume 2: The Duties of the Christian Life
Herman Bavinck's four-volume Reformed Dogmatics is one of the most important theological works of the twentieth century. The English translation was edited by leading Bavinck expert John Bolt, who now brings forth a recently discovered manuscript from Bavinck that is being published for the first time. Serving as a companion to Reformed Dogmatics , Reformed Ethics offers readers Bavinck's mature reflections on ethical issues. This book, the second of three planned volumes, covers the duties of the Christian life and includes Bavinck's exposition of the Ten Commandments.
544 pages, Hardcover
Published December 7, 2021
About the author
Herman Bavinck
131 books203 followersHerman Bavinck (1854-1921) succeeded Abraham Kuyper as professor of systematic theology at the Free University of Amsterdam in 1902.
His nephew was Johan Herman Bavinck.
His nephew was Johan Herman Bavinck.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 21, 2025
Bavinck is magnificent. He's far more readable than you'd imagine, and very pastoral. Each of us has an ethic, the question is whether that ethic is being shaped by the secular world or God's Word. Bavinck is particularly great when he discusses the first table of the 10 commandments, what is our responsibility to God?
August 10, 2022
Must-read on Christian ethics, the Decalogue, and the Sermon on the Mount.
February 16, 2024
Compiled from manuscripts dating from the late 1800s, this book will surprise the reader with just how contemporary its content reads. If one is familiar with similar Puritan or Nadere Reformatie works which can tend towards a kind of legalism springing from everyone in society being "Christian" (at least at a surface level), then it will quickly become apparent that Bavinck is writing from the perspective of a Western culture that is rapidly becoming "Post-Christian." Thus, his teachings on ethics are more applicable to today, and some of his "slippery-slope" prognostications are downright prophetic.
Anyway, I think Bavinck's chapters on Christian duties are a must-read for any Christian today,* and I enjoyed his exposition of the Decalogue far more than the earlier voices of the Dutch Reformed stream. His take on the ongoing necessity of the Sabbath, for instance, is masterful. The best I have encountered yet, and free from some other theologians (e.g., Brakel's) legalism.
*(Example of excellent insight pertaining to duty: Rights can not be derived from duty. Just because it is my duty as a Christian to forgive someone who offends me does not mean that the offender has the right to my forgiveness. Just because a wealthy man has the duty to care for his poor neighbor does not mean that the poor neighbor has a right to the wealthy man's money. Duties are derived purely from God's law as they pertain to our hierarchical positions, and rights are derived from our status as God's image bearers.)
Anyway, I think Bavinck's chapters on Christian duties are a must-read for any Christian today,* and I enjoyed his exposition of the Decalogue far more than the earlier voices of the Dutch Reformed stream. His take on the ongoing necessity of the Sabbath, for instance, is masterful. The best I have encountered yet, and free from some other theologians (e.g., Brakel's) legalism.
*(Example of excellent insight pertaining to duty: Rights can not be derived from duty. Just because it is my duty as a Christian to forgive someone who offends me does not mean that the offender has the right to my forgiveness. Just because a wealthy man has the duty to care for his poor neighbor does not mean that the poor neighbor has a right to the wealthy man's money. Duties are derived purely from God's law as they pertain to our hierarchical positions, and rights are derived from our status as God's image bearers.)
December 17, 2025
I started this one pre Lochlan and probably wouldn’t have finished it if my year in books wasn’t approaching.
Bavinck’s treatment of the Decalogue in volume 2 is nothing short of masterful. I certainly liked it as much as Frame and more than Douma. He refuses to treat the Ten Commandments as a mere checklist of moral duties or as relics of a distant law. Instead, he presents them as Spirit breathed, covenantal guidance that shapes both the heart and the life. Every command is read in light of God’s character and purposes, and Bavinck shows how they form the blueprint for faithful living.
His handling of the first table is particularly striking. He conveys God’s transcendence and majesty in a way that feels both awe inspiring and practically engaging. Worship is not simply ritual compliance but a life oriented toward God, grounded in love and reverence. In the second table, Bavinck’s insight into human relationships shines. The commandments call us to act with justice, compassion, and integrity, reflecting the imago Dei in others. He treats moral obligations not as abstract duties but as expressions of covenantal love.
What makes Bavinck remarkable is how he balances intellect and pastoral care. He engages with theology, human psychology, and moral reasoning without ever flattening the commandments into mere practicality. He writes with brevity and precision, yet the work carries a depth that rewards careful reading. Through his lens, the Decalogue is not only applicable for contemporary life but remains a living, dynamic guide for all Christians.
That said, this is a reference book. You’re going to have a pretty hard time going cover to cover. And I don’t know if I’m going to be sitting down with this one again.
In short, Bavinck’s work on the Decalogue is both a model of Reformed ethical reflection and a deeply pastoral resource. It reminds us that the Ten Commandments are more than rules, they are the framework through which God shapes a faithful, loving, and fully human life.
Bavinck’s treatment of the Decalogue in volume 2 is nothing short of masterful. I certainly liked it as much as Frame and more than Douma. He refuses to treat the Ten Commandments as a mere checklist of moral duties or as relics of a distant law. Instead, he presents them as Spirit breathed, covenantal guidance that shapes both the heart and the life. Every command is read in light of God’s character and purposes, and Bavinck shows how they form the blueprint for faithful living.
His handling of the first table is particularly striking. He conveys God’s transcendence and majesty in a way that feels both awe inspiring and practically engaging. Worship is not simply ritual compliance but a life oriented toward God, grounded in love and reverence. In the second table, Bavinck’s insight into human relationships shines. The commandments call us to act with justice, compassion, and integrity, reflecting the imago Dei in others. He treats moral obligations not as abstract duties but as expressions of covenantal love.
What makes Bavinck remarkable is how he balances intellect and pastoral care. He engages with theology, human psychology, and moral reasoning without ever flattening the commandments into mere practicality. He writes with brevity and precision, yet the work carries a depth that rewards careful reading. Through his lens, the Decalogue is not only applicable for contemporary life but remains a living, dynamic guide for all Christians.
That said, this is a reference book. You’re going to have a pretty hard time going cover to cover. And I don’t know if I’m going to be sitting down with this one again.
In short, Bavinck’s work on the Decalogue is both a model of Reformed ethical reflection and a deeply pastoral resource. It reminds us that the Ten Commandments are more than rules, they are the framework through which God shapes a faithful, loving, and fully human life.
June 22, 2026
There is probably no theologian I enjoy reading more than Bavinck. Even though I understand his "Reformed Ethics" were not necessarily intended to be published in the form in which they were found - they were more like lecture notes, I gleaned so much from his approach to the 10 Commandments in this volume. My favorite parts were on the 2nd commandment - his overview of images in church history, and then his treatment of feast days and the 4th commandment. Then his excursus on clothing was also fascinating, and he even has a section on proper treatment of animals! His discussion of temperament on pp. 398-403 is worthwhile and touches on recent questions of personality and gifts in the church.
Here's a great statement about the Sabbath: "Gradually, not by power or might, the Holy Spirit guided the churches to the new and caused them to outgrow the old. The old has not been replaced or abolished by the new, but in the new the old has been fulfilled, incorporated, and elevated. Thus, circumcision is fulfilled in baptism. Every ceremony is fulfilled in Christ. Sunday is the day of resurrection. Under the OT, the pattern was work, then rest - that is worship of God. Now, we are first strengthened by the worship of God, and from there we undertake everything with vigor. Then, moving toward the Sabbath was climbing toward God. Today, we move from God into the wide world. Then people ascended. Today, we descend. Then, earth moved toward heaven; today, heaven comes down to earth. Then, the promise; today, fulfillment. Then; expectation; today, enjoyment." (pg. 273).
Here's a great statement about the Sabbath: "Gradually, not by power or might, the Holy Spirit guided the churches to the new and caused them to outgrow the old. The old has not been replaced or abolished by the new, but in the new the old has been fulfilled, incorporated, and elevated. Thus, circumcision is fulfilled in baptism. Every ceremony is fulfilled in Christ. Sunday is the day of resurrection. Under the OT, the pattern was work, then rest - that is worship of God. Now, we are first strengthened by the worship of God, and from there we undertake everything with vigor. Then, moving toward the Sabbath was climbing toward God. Today, we move from God into the wide world. Then people ascended. Today, we descend. Then, earth moved toward heaven; today, heaven comes down to earth. Then, the promise; today, fulfillment. Then; expectation; today, enjoyment." (pg. 273).
March 24, 2024
Bavinck is always very thorough, but very clear.
He also spends much time going through history and what has been taught/thought from both pagan and Christian sources.
He also spends much time going through history and what has been taught/thought from both pagan and Christian sources.
June 18, 2024
Other than having to wade through views on Fichte, Rothe, Schopenhauer, Schilling, Schleiermacher, etc., etc., this was excellent. There were several eye-opening sections, where Bavinck provides clarity on what can often be abstract/vague issues. These sections were really helpful and worth returning to: the basis of all ethical duties, the role of the conscience in the Christian life, the clash and prioritization of competing duties, self-denial versus self-destruction, the role of temperament and character in the Christian life.
April 20, 2026
What are the duties for the Christian in the face of life? How do the Ten Commandments factor into the life of the Christian?
These are some of the Christians Herman Bavinck seeks to resolve in his second volume of Reformed Ethics.
Having given the ground for morality and ethics in his previous volume, Bavinck here exegetes the Ten Commandments in his normal Dutch Reformed fashioned. He has divided the Ten Commandments, like most Reformed Theologians into two tables: one concerning a Christian's Duties towards God and the other regarding people. This second table is further divided into duties regarding one's self, and then towards one's neighbor.
Bavinck's exegesis is on the highest level as he extolls the Christian towards their major focus...that of the glory of God. The entire ethical life has the glory of God as it's motive and it's end. This helps us understand the conclusions that Bavinck reaches in most of his ethical reasoning.
The major disappointment is his reluctance to do actual exegesis of the Ten Commandments. He has given some insight, but has not fully expounded the implications of the Ten Commandments as Douma will later on.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in Reformed Ethics, or Christian morality as a whole. This book is part of the theological gift given to the Church by Herman Bavinck.
Grade: A
These are some of the Christians Herman Bavinck seeks to resolve in his second volume of Reformed Ethics.
Having given the ground for morality and ethics in his previous volume, Bavinck here exegetes the Ten Commandments in his normal Dutch Reformed fashioned. He has divided the Ten Commandments, like most Reformed Theologians into two tables: one concerning a Christian's Duties towards God and the other regarding people. This second table is further divided into duties regarding one's self, and then towards one's neighbor.
Bavinck's exegesis is on the highest level as he extolls the Christian towards their major focus...that of the glory of God. The entire ethical life has the glory of God as it's motive and it's end. This helps us understand the conclusions that Bavinck reaches in most of his ethical reasoning.
The major disappointment is his reluctance to do actual exegesis of the Ten Commandments. He has given some insight, but has not fully expounded the implications of the Ten Commandments as Douma will later on.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in Reformed Ethics, or Christian morality as a whole. This book is part of the theological gift given to the Church by Herman Bavinck.
Grade: A
June 2, 2024
There are some gems in this volume but overall it reads like lecture notes and there are some incomplete thoughts. It was disappointing to see the clunckly style because Bavinck is a really good writer. I sense that these incomplete thoughts were intended to bring out discussion in the classroom.
One takeaway for myself is that I do not think very carefully or deeply about Christian conduct in light of God's law. This book encourages me to think more carefully in these areas. I believe my evangelical background freezes me from thinking about Christian conduct because of a fear of legalism. Also, my American pragmatism holds me back from digging into the interconnectedness of God's law with all of human life.
One takeaway for myself is that I do not think very carefully or deeply about Christian conduct in light of God's law. This book encourages me to think more carefully in these areas. I believe my evangelical background freezes me from thinking about Christian conduct because of a fear of legalism. Also, my American pragmatism holds me back from digging into the interconnectedness of God's law with all of human life.
December 7, 2022
100 or so pages of introduction to the Ten Commandments, then discussion of each of the commandments.
As the introduction to Vol 1 outlines, Bavinck’s Reformed Ethics is not as polished as his Reformed Dogmatics. Even so, I found his comments on the Ten Commandments consistently stimulating and insightful. Along with à Brakel, this was my favourite commentary whilst preaching a sermon series on the law in general and the Ten Commandments in particular.
As the introduction to Vol 1 outlines, Bavinck’s Reformed Ethics is not as polished as his Reformed Dogmatics. Even so, I found his comments on the Ten Commandments consistently stimulating and insightful. Along with à Brakel, this was my favourite commentary whilst preaching a sermon series on the law in general and the Ten Commandments in particular.
September 27, 2023
I picked this up as a resource for a sermon series on the ten commandments and I found I couldn't put it down! Bavinck addresses the issues of his day and they are incredibly relevant to the 21st centaury, largely because the new problems then are 'baked in' today.
You should really give this a chance and I'll be using it as a reference for future ethics discussions.
You should really give this a chance and I'll be using it as a reference for future ethics discussions.
December 27, 2021
Bavinck does his usual. Excellent look at the duties we are called to as Christians, and a fortiori humans.
January 10, 2022
Illuminating
August 11, 2026
For me it was an awkward presentation.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews