Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Romans 14:22-23.

 

“²²  The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God.  Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.

 

²³  But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith;  and whatever is not from faith is sin.”  Romans 14:22-23.

 

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It is bad enough that “the fall” corrupted every part of us including our conscience. 

                                     

Here is what the Westminister Larger Catechism states in part:

                            

Question 25:  Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?

Answer:  The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin, the want of that righteousness wherein he was created, and the corruption of his nature, whereby he is utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite unto all that is spiritually good, and wholly inclined to all evil, and that continually; which is commonly called original sin, and from which do proceed all actual transgressions.

But, Satan won’t even let us rest with such a bad conscience.  Satan accuses us day and night.  

“whatever is not from faith is sin.” 

Titus 1:15
“To the pure, all things are pure;  but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.” 

But, there is hope!

The blood of Christ cleanses our conscience.

Hebrews 9:14
“how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

“let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”  Hebrews 10:21.

Our sovereign and almighty God has thrown down Satan, the “accuser of our brethern”!

Revelation 12:10
“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.”

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  Romans 8:1. 

We have confidence.  We live by faith.  We don’t shrink back.

“³⁵  Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.

³⁶  For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

 ³⁷ FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE,
HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.
³⁸ BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH;
AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.

 ³⁹  But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”  Hebrews 10:35-39. 

Through God’s grace, we have the conviction that defines faith.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  For by it the men of old gained approval.”  Hebrews 11:1-2.