Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Timothy 1:12-17.

 

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor.  Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief;  and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.  It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.

 

Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.  Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen.”  1 Timothy 1:12-17. 

 

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“Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24.

 

We praise our LORD for revealing some of His qualities in today’s Scripture, so that we can better understand and know Him.  We learn that our LORD is a Savior Who “came into the world to save sinners”.  We learn about His grace which is “more than abundant”.  We learn about Jesus Christ’s “perfect patience” as demonstrated in saving Paul.  We learn that our LORD shows “mercy”.  We learn about “the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus”.

 

We learn that our Savior is also a “King” Who is “eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God”.  We learn that Christ Jesus our Lord,  “strengthened” Paul.

 

 

Do we read Scripture with a foremost desire to learn about us, so that we better understand and know ourselves?

 

 

Do we read Scripture with a foremost desire to learn about our own works?

 

 

Arminian Doctrine, which is taught in so many churches, foremost teaches man’s free-will and focuses on man and what man should do, so that he will choose Christ through his own wisdom and maintain his faith through his own willpower, so that he will not fall from grace.

 

But, Reformed Doctrine a/k/a Calvinism foremost teaches about our LORD and His qualities and His works as demonstrated by its distinctive signature “TULIP”, particularly our LORD’s work in “Unconditional Election”, “Limited Atonement”, “Irresistible Grace”, and “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”.

 

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen.”  Verse 17.