Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Jude 1:17-23.

 

“¹⁷ But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁸ that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.”  ¹⁹ These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.  ²⁰ But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.  ²² And have mercy on some, who are doubting;  ²³ save others, snatching them out of the fire;  and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

                                            

²⁴ Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, ²⁵ to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever.  Amen.”  Jude 1:17-23.

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We persevere.  Although “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.”, we persevere.

 

We build ourselves up on our most holy faith.  We pray in the Holy Spirit.  We keep ourselves in the love of God.  We wait anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We have mercy on some.  We save others.  Verses 20 through 23.

 

God preserves us.  “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever.  Amen.”  Verses 24 and 25.  

 

The juxtaposition of these two sections show in part why we sometimes call the Fifth Point of Calvinism:  “Perseverance of the Saints a/k/a Preservation of the Saints”, the “P” of “TULIP”.  We persevere, but the reason why we persevere is that God preserves us.

 

Here is what the Canons of Dordt, FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Perseverance of the Saints, state in part about our perseverance.

                                        

Article 11.  The Scripture moreover testifies, that believers in this life have to struggle with various carnal doubts, and that under grievous temptations they are not always sensible of this full assurance of faith and certainty of persevering.  But God, who is the Father of all consolation, does not suffer them to be tempted above that they are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that they may be able to bear it, I Corinthians 10:13, and by the Holy Spirit again inspires them with the comfortable assurance of persevering.

Article 12.  This certainty of perseverance, however, is so far from exciting in believers a spirit of pride, or of rendering them carnally secure, that on the contrary, it is the real source of humility, filial reverence, true piety, patience in every tribulation, fervent prayers, constancy in suffering, and in confessing the truth, and of solid rejoicing in God:  so that the consideration of this benefit should serve as an incentive to the serious and constant practice of gratitude and good works, as appears from the testimonies of Scripture, and the examples of the saints.

Article 13.  Neither does renewed confidence or persevering produce licentiousness, or a disregard to piety in those who are recovering from backsliding;  but it renders them much more careful and solicitous to continue in the ways of the Lord, which he hath ordained, that they who walk therein may maintain an assurance of persevering, lest by abusing his fatherly kindness, God should turn away his gracious countenance from them, to behold which is to the godly dearer than life:  the withdrawing thereof is more bitter than death, and they in consequence hereof should fall into more grievous torments of conscience.

Article 14.  And as it hath pleased God, by the preaching of the gospel, to begin this work of grace in us, so he preserves, continues, and perfects it by the hearing and reading of his Word, by meditation thereon, and by the exhortations, threatenings, and promises thereof, as well as by the use of the sacraments.

Article 15.  The carnal mind is unable to comprehend this doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, and the certainty thereof; which God hath most abundantly revealed in his Word, for the glory of his name, and the consolation of pious souls, and which he impresses upon the hearts of the faithful. Satan abhors it;  the world ridicules it;  the ignorant and hypocrite abuse, and heretics oppose it;  but the spouse of Christ hath always most tenderly loved and constantly defended it, as an inestimable treasure; and God, against whom neither counsel nor strength can prevail, will dispose her to continue this conduct to the end.  Now, to this one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, forever.  AMEN.