Today, I leave for a 7 day cruise vacation. God willing, my next daily devotion will be December 24, Christmas Eve. May God continue to sustain you and cheer you through His Word.
Today’s devotion comes from 1 Peter 1:17-21.
“If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” 1 Peter 1:17-21.
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What did the precious blood of Christ procure for us?
The following Canons of Dordt (SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men Thereby) lists some of the gifts: “the gift of justifying faith” and “all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit”.
In summary, the following Canons of Dordt states that the precious blood of Christ purges us from all sin and effectively redeems us to salvation. Christ “having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the enjoyment of glory in his own presence forever”.
Article 8. For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of his Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation: that is, it was the will of God, that Christ by the blood of the cross, whereby he confirmed the new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation, and given to him by the Father; that he should confer upon them faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he purchased for them by his death; should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing; and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the enjoyment of glory in his own presence forever.
Thereby, we more fully understand today’s Scripture that we, “through Him are believers in God” and our “faith and hope are in God”. Through Christ’s precious blood, we received “the gift of justifying faith” and “all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit”.
Man wants credit for his works or at least his faith. “Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” John 6:28.
But, God will not share credit for salvation. Accordingly, “Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” John 6:29. It is God’s work that we even believe in Christ.
“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 1:30-31.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 