Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from John 15:18-27.

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own;  but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’  If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you;  if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.  But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.  He who hates Me hates My Father also.  If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin;  but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well.  But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.’

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.”  John 15:18-27.

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We should not be surprised nor disheartened when people do not receive and believe our preaching and teaching.

Other doctrine is surprised and disheartened, because it believes in man’s wisdom, man’s goodness, and man’s alleged free-will;  so when people do not receive and believe their preaching and teaching, they conclude the problem must not be the people but rather the problem must be their gospel, so other doctrine chooses to water down the gospel to make the gospel seeker-sensitive and orientated to please man.

But, Reformed Doctrine is not surprised nor disheartened, and Reformed doctrine does not change the gospel, understanding man’s “Total Depravity”, that is, man is dead in sin, hostile to God, and enslaved to sin and Satan as Jesus summarized in His words “THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.”

“10 as it is written,

“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.
13 “THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE,
WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,”
“THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”;
14 “WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS”;
15 “THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD,
16 DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS,
17 AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN.”
18 “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”  Romans 3:10-18.

“… you were dead in your trespasses and sins,”  Ephesians 2:1.

Reformed Doctrine understands that no one will receive and believe our preaching and teaching unless they are chosen by God to do so.

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;  and I will raise him up on the last day.”  John 6:44.

“And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”  John 6:65.

But, to all those who are elected, Reformed Doctrine has faith that they will receive our preaching and teaching.  This is “Unconditional Election”.

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.”  John 6:37.

“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.”  John 6:39.

Finally, the last two verses in today’s Scripture show us that our Lord prepares us to preach and teach.

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.”  Verses 26-27.