Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 1 John 2:25-29.

 

“²⁵ This is the promise which He Himself made to us:  eternal life.

 

²⁶ These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you.  ²⁷ As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you;  but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

 

²⁸ Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.  ²⁹ If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.”  1 John 2:25-29.

 

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Grace is why we have eternal life.  Verse 25.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 6:23.  “Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again;  but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst;  but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”  John 4:13-14.  “The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Romans 5:20-21.

Grace is why we have the anointing that teaches us about all things.  Verse 27.  “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”  John 14:26.  “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth;  for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak;  and He will disclose to you what is to come.  He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.”  John 16:13-14.  

Grace is why we have confidence and do not shrink back from Christ in shame.  Verse 28.  “Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.  Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit;  for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”  2 Corinthians 3:4-6. 

Grace is why we are born again and practice righteousness.  Verse 29.  “Little children, make sure no one deceives you;  the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous;  the one who practices sin is of the devil;  for the devil has sinned from the beginning.  The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.  No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him;  and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.  By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious:  anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.”  1 John 3:7-10.

Grace is why we have all these saving gifts. 

The following Article 8 of the Canons of Dordt (SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men Thereby) reminds us that God’s grace is the source of all saving gifts. 

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.   

Thus, when we think of grace, we should think of gifts.  When we think of grace, we should think of righteousness.  When we think of grace, we should think of anointing.  When we think of grace, we should think of confidence.  And, when we think of grace, we should think of eternal life.

Some explain grace making grace an acronym for “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense”.  Today’s devotion also makes me think of grace as an acronym for these other key words of grace:

Gifts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Righteousness                                                                                                                                          Anointing                                                                                                                                                  Confidence                                                                                                                                               Eternal Life