Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

“Thank you for your reply and deep meditation. 

 

It is true both from Scripture and our practical experience that we continue to sin.  “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”  1 John 1:8-10.  

 

It is also true as Paul writes that God works within us.  “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.  For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me.  For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.  And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;  having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”  Philippians 1:6-11.

 

But, we cannot just sit back.  We are urged to resist sin.  “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;  and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,
         “MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD,
         NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; 
         FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,
         AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.”  Hebrews 12:1-6.     

 

We are also commanded to put on the full armor of God.  “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.  Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;  in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”  Ephesians 6:10-17. 

 

And, we have seen from today’s Scripture that we are also commanded to walk by the Spirit. 

 

I think it is true, as you point out, that the sinful desires are no longer our master.  We find that we can resist them more and more, not necessarily in a perfect “straight-up” improvement over time, but we do notice with delight God’s work within us.  We find over time both a mortification of the old man and a quickening of the new man.  As stated below in the Heidelberg Catechism, we find more within us a “sincere sorrow of heart, that we have provoked God by our sins; and more and more to hate and flee from them”.  We also find more within us a “sincere joy of heart in God, through Christ, and with love and delight to live according to the will of God in all good works”.*  

 

(* Question 88.  Of how many parts doth the true conversion of man consist?

Answer.  Of two parts;  of the mortification of the old, and the quickening of the new man.

 

Question 89.  What is the mortification of the old man?

Answer. It is a sincere sorrow of heart, that we have provoked God by our sins; and more and more to hate and flee from them.

 

Question 90. What is the quickening of the new man?

Answer.  It is a sincere joy of heart in God, through Christ, and with love and delight to live according to the will of God in all good works.)  

 

In summary, the whole process is, in a sense, fixing our eyes on Jesus.  As we read and use all of God’s Word, as we hope and pray for all of God’s work to be perfected within us, and as practice these things, we behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord and are  transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”