Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Corinthians 15:20-28.

 

“²⁰ But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 

 

²¹ For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 

 

²² For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 

 

²³ But each in his own order:  Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,

 

²⁴ then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 

 

²⁵ For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 

 

²⁶ The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 

 

²⁷ For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET.  But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. 

 

²⁸ When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.”   1 Corinthians 15:20-28.

 

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Christ’s sovereignty is emphasized in today’s Scripture, particularly the repeated use of words similar to the following:  “HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET”.  Christ’s sovereignty extends from His punishment of the wicked (a/k/a non-elect) to His protection, guidance, and other blessing upon the righteous (a/k/a elect a/k/a His church).  There are many descriptions through Scripture of this sovereignty.  Psalm Chapter 2 and Psalm Chapter 110 are two examples.  For today’s devotion, we will look at two Scripture passages concerning Christ’s sovereignty in His protection, guidance, and other blessing upon the righteous (a/k/a elect a/k/a His church).

 

The first Scripture generally tracks the Scripture for today in following the order of God raising Christ from the dead and God putting all things in subjection under Christ’s feet.  And, what is so beautiful about this Scripture is the conclusion that God gave Christ to the church to be the head of the church over all things to the church which is His body.        

 

“¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.  These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.  ²² And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, ²³ which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”  Ephesians 1:18-23. 

 

The second Scripture goes into more specific things that Christ has done for the church.  Christ made us alive!  Christ removed our slavery to our sinful flesh by His circumcision of us!  Christ forgave us all of our transgressions!  Christ “canceled outthe certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us;  and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross”!  Christ has “disarmed the rulers and authorities”, our enemies that were also hostile to us!  Christ has made us complete in Himself!  Christ is our head over all rule and authority!

 

“⁹ For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;  ¹¹ and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;  ¹² having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.   ¹³ When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, ¹⁴ having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us;  and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  ¹⁵ When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.”  Colossians 2:9-15.