Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 1 John 4:15-18.

 

“¹⁵ Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  ¹⁶ We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us.  God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.  ¹⁷ By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment;  because as He is, so also are we in this world.  ¹⁸ There is no fear in love;  but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”  1 John 4:15-18.

 

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Today’s Scripture teaches us the importance of confidence.  It is not the false confidence which comes from trusting ourselves.  But, it is the true confidence which comes from faith in God.  

 

“By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment;  because as He is, so also are we in this world.”  Verse 17.  “There is no fear in love;  but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”  Verse 18.

 

 

“We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us.  …”  Verse 16. 

 

This belief is not a belief that God loves everyone.  Rather, this is a belief that we are one of the elect whom God loves.

 

This belief is not a belief that there is anything loveable about us.  Rather, it is a belief that God is love.

 

This is not a belief that God loves us because we are godly and righteous.  Rather, it is a belief that God loved us even though we were ungodly and unrighteous.  “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will hardly die for a righteous man;  though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:6-8. 

 

This belief is not a belief that God has faith that we will do the right thing.  This belief is a belief that God will do the right thing and do every thing for our salvation from “Unconditional Election” through “Limited Atonement” through “Irresistible Grace” through “Preservation of the Saints”, “U” through “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  …”  Ephesians 1:3-4.  

 

This belief is not a belief that we are faithful.  This belief is a belief that God is faithful and will preserve us to salvation.  “Of this preservation of the elect to salvation, and of their perseverance in the faith, true believers for themselves may and ought to obtain assurance according to the measure of their faith, whereby they arrive at the certain persuasion, that they ever will continue true and living members of the church; and that they experience forgiveness of sins, and will at last inherit eternal life.”   Article 9. of FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Perseverance of the Saints of the Canons of Dordt

                                   

In conclusion, this is the love that God has for us.  “Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.  For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”  Hebrews 10:35-39.