Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Romans 8:28-30.

 

“²⁸  And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

 

²⁹  For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

 

³⁰  and these whom He predestined, He also called;  and these whom He called, He also justified;  and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”  Romans 8:28-30.

 

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The focus is on God.  The focus is on what God has done.  

 

“For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.”  Psalm 92:4

 

Man naturally wants to focus on himself.  “Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”  John 6:28.

 

But, “Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”  John 6:29.

 

From beginning to end, “Salvation belongs to the LORD;  Your blessing be upon Your people!  Selah.”  Psalm 3:8

 

Isaiah 52:10
“The LORD has bared His holy arm In the sight of all the nations, That all the ends of the earth may see The salvation of our God.”

 

Jonah 2:9
“But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving.  That which I have vowed I will pay.  Salvation is from the LORD.”

 

1 Thessalonians 5:9
“For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

 

2 Thessalonians 2:13
“But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.”

 

 

 

But, Scripture clearly and repeatedly teaches predestination.  God chooses those whom He wants to save, and God provides all that is needed for salvation, from beginning to end, in this glorious chain of salvation that we read in our Scripture today.

 

There is the promise, but there is also the warning.    

 

“For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.  For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? …”  Hebrews 2:1-5.

 

“How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?”  Hebrews 10:29

 

Everyone should pause and consider that this punishment may not just be reserved for only those who are outwardly hateful to Christ.  It may be also be reserved for those who do believe that Christ shed His precious blood for everyone and that ultimately what distinguishes them from those who are not saved is their own works or “free-will” faith. 

 

One does not need to be outwardly hateful to something to trample over it.  For example, we read Matthew 5:13 .  “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.” 

 

Likewise, there are those who treat the blood of Christ as common to all.  They do not pay it the respect to which it is entitled.  They love to say that Christ shed His blood for everyone, and there is power in the blood, but in their hearts they really believe that their works or faith saved them.  In a sense, they trample over the blood of Christ in their rush to focus on themselves and what they did. 

                                      

“but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.  But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”  1 Corinthians 1:27-31.