Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion covers Luke 6:24-26.

 

“²⁴  “But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full. 

                                   

 ²⁵  “Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry.  Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

                                         

Like yesterday’s Scripture concerning the “Blessed are you” verses, we can read these “Woe to you” verses” with the tendency to feel guilty that we are rich, well-fed, laughing, and well spoken of by all men.  We can receive these  “Woe to you” verses as a “to-do” list. 

It is also not difficult to think of supporting Scripture.  We remember the story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:19-31.  We recall Scripture like James 5:1-6.  “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.”  James 5:1.

But, I think there is another message that parallels the message of yesterday’s devotion.

Just as yesterday’s devotion focused on the fact of election (the choosing of the twelve disciples) and the resulting blessing.  Today’s devotion should remind us of reprobation and the resulting curse.

We must ask ourselves if Scripture ever calls out for woe to God’s elect.  We must ask ourselves if Scripture ever calls out for curses to God’s elect.

Yes, God’s elect is disciplined, chastised, even severely.  But, does Scripture calls out for woe to God’s elect or calls out for curses to God’s elect?

Are God’s blessings and grace primarily and ultimately dependent on our works, whether or not we take sufficient “to-do” action to become poor, become hungry, and become hated?

Likewise, are God’s curses and condemnation primarily and ultimately dependent on our works, whether or not we are rich, well-fed, laughing, and well spoken of by all men?

Here is a BibleGateway.com Keyword Search for every mention of “woe” in Scripture.  Click here: BibleGateway.com – Keyword Search: woe

It seems to me that Scripture never calls out for woe to God’s elect.  

So, what is the importance of this fact? 

If we read these “Woe to you” verses with the thought that God’s curses and condemnation primarily and ultimately dependent on our works, whether or not we are rich, well-fed, laughing, and well spoken of by all men, then we will take our eyes off God and focus on our sinful selves.  We will shrink back.  We will lose faith.  We will fall from grace.  But, I speak hypothetically, because as God’s elect, it is not possible that we do so.

We are reminded of Hebrews 10:38-39:  “BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH;  AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.  But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”