Today’s devotion comes from 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12.
“Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12.
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Today’s Scripture teaches the importance of belief in the truth. There are those who “did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved”. They “will believe what is false”. They “all may be judged who did not believe the truth”.
With this knowledge of this general importance of belief in the truth, we should ask: “How specifically important is the truth of the Gospel? In other words, is the Gospel specifically important enough such that failure to believe it would be indication that one is not saved?“.
Calvin, in his Commentary on Galatians 1:6-9, 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.” Here is a link to his whole Commentary on Galatians 1:6-9 – Click here: Commentary on Galatians and Ephesians – Christian Classics Ethereal Library
Most, if not all of us, would also agree that the Gospel is specifically important enough that failure to believe it would be indication that one is not saved (unless one later believed it).
Then, what is the Gospel?
Is the Gospel a man-centered belief that salvation is ultimately determined by man, that is, God loves everyone and that salvation is determined by whether or not man exercises wisdom and will-power to believe in Jesus Christ?
Or, is the Gospel a God-centered belief that salvation is ultimately determined by God, that is, God loves only His elect and that salvation is determined by God’s unconditional election and Christ’s death and limited atonement for only the Elect and God’s irresistible grace and God’s preservation of the saints, in short “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation?
Is it truly “Good News” that salvation is ultimately based on man?
Or, is it truly “Good News” that salvation is ultimately based on God?
Even love of truth is “received” as we read in today’s Scripture. Faith is a gift of God. Ephesians 2:8.
For those Reformed believers whose creeds include the Three Forms of Unity (namely, the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dordt), the Canons of Dordt focuses on this “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation. Here is a direct link to it –
For those Reformed believers whose creeds include the Westminister Larger Catechism, “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation is taught therein, including but not limited to Articles 25, 30, 31, 32, 38, 59, 64, 66, 67, 68, 72, 75, 76, and 79. Here is a link to the Westminister Larger Catechism – Click here: Historic Church Documents at Reformed.org
In conclusion, for more on the general importance of truth and the specific importance of the truth of the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation, please read both the post “Reformed Doctrine”, a tag at the top of my web site, and my comment thereunder titled “Will Arminians Be Saved?”. Here is a direct link to it – Click here: Reformed Doctrine « Reformed Doctrine Blog
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 