18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.’
19 “Another one said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.’
20 “Another one said, ‘I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.’
21 “And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, ‘Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’
22 “And the slave said, ‘Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’
23 “And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.
24 ‘For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.'” Luke 14:16-24.
This Scripture for today teaches us the need for “irresistible grace”, the “I” in “TULIP”. Although many were invited, none came. “But they all alike began to make excuses.” There was the need to “compel”.
“as it is written,
“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” Romans 3:10-12.
“Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” 1 Corinthians 1:20-21.
“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,” Ephesians 2:1.
We may bristle against the thought of “compel”. We may not like this doctrine of “irresistible grace”. But, because of this spiritually dead condition of man described as “total depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, “irresistible grace” is the only opportunity and provision of God for salvation.
Salvation “… does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” Romans 9:16. “For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.” Romans 9:15.
Jesus said in John 6:44: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”
So then, why do we rely on our own wisdom and skill in presenting good invitations to others? Why do we rely on the wisdom and skill of others in accepting these good invitations? Why do we preach and teach “a gospel” based on the wisdom of man?
The Scripture for today ends with a warning. ” ‘For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.’ ” Luke 14:24.
In case we breeze by this warning, Galatians 1:6-9 confirms the importance of understanding and preaching and teaching the true gospel. “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!”
Calvin in his Commentary about these verses states in part:
“… They were removed from Christ; not that they entirely rejected Christianity, but that the corruption of their doctrines was such as to leave them nothing more than an imaginary Christ. …
On the same principle, he calls it another gospel, that is, a gospel different from the true one. And yet the false apostles professed that they preached the gospel of Christ; but, mingling with it their own inventions, by which its principal efficacy was destroyed, they held a false, corrupt, and spurious gospel. …
The gospel of Christ. To know what are the leading points of the gospel, is a matter of unceasing importance. When these are attacked, the gospel is destroyed. …
It is impossible, no doubt, for angels from heaven to teach anything else than the certain truth of God. But when the credit due to doctrines which God had revealed concerning the salvation of men was the subject of controversy, he did not reckon it enough to disclaim the judgment of men, without declining, at the same time, the authority of angels. …”
Here is the full commentary – Click here: Commentary on Galatians and Ephesians | Christian Classics Ethereal Library
In conclusion, “TULIP” also known as the Five Points of Calvinism presents in a nutshell, the true gospel, the true doctrine of salvation. “TULIP” gives all the glory to God for salvation. As Calvin stated: “The gospel of Christ. To know what are the leading points of the gospel, is a matter of unceasing importance. When these are attacked, the gospel is destroyed. …” Let us pause and meditate on the Scripture for today including the final warning.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 