Today’s devotion comes from Romans 1:16-17.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” Romans 1:16-17.
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What is the gospel?
There is a huge difference between the gospel of other doctrine and the gospel of Reformed Doctrine.
The gospel of other doctrine is based on the power of man to either do sufficient works or exercise sufficient alleged free-will to choose Christ. Either way, the gospel of other doctrine is ultimately dependent on the power of man.
But, the gospel of Reformed Doctrine is based on “the power of God” providing everything needed for salvation from beginning to end: from the beginning of God’s “Unconditional Election” through God’s “Limited Atonement” through God’s “Irresistible Grace” to the end of God’s “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, more fully taught in the Canons of Dordt.
Other doctrine teaches that God loves everybody, Christ died for everybody, and that whether or not an individual is saved depends on the works of the individual or at at least the free-will choice of the individual (the power of man). Thus, other doctrine has faith in in the power of man.
But, Reformed Doctrine refutes the teaching of other doctrine of the power of man to either do sufficient works or exercise sufficient alleged free-will to choose Christ through its teaching of “Total Depravity”, the first point of Calvinism, summarized by “TULIP”, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation as more fully taught in the Canons of Dordt.
Article 3. Therefore all men are conceived in sin, and by nature children of wrath, incapable of saving good, prone to evil, dead in sin, and in bondage thereto, and without the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit, they are neither able nor willing to return to God, to reform the depravity of their nature, nor to dispose themselves to reformation. THIRD AND FOURTH HEADS OF DOCTRINE Of the Corruption of Man, His Conversion to God, and the Manner Thereof of Canons of Dordt.
“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.” Romans 3:10-12.
“… you were dead in your trespasses and sins,” Ephesians 2:1.
Reformed Doctrine has faith in “the power of God” to understand and obey the things of God. In the language of Canons of Dordt, God “not only causes the gospel to be externally preached to them”, God also “powerfully illumines their minds by his Holy Spirit, that they may rightly understand and discern the things of the Spirit of God”.
Article 11. But when God accomplishes his good pleasure in the elect, or works in them true conversion, he not only causes the gospel to be externally preached to them, and powerfully illumines their minds by his Holy Spirit, that they may rightly understand and discern the things of the Spirit of God; but by the efficacy of the same regenerating Spirit, pervades the inmost recesses of the man; he opens the closed, and softens the hardened heart, and circumcises that which was uncircumcised, infuses new qualities into the will, which though heretofore dead, he quickens; from being evil, disobedient and refractory, he renders it good, obedient, and pliable; actuates and strengthens it, that like a good tree, it may bring forth the fruits of good actions. THIRD AND FOURTH HEADS OF DOCTRINE Of the Corruption of Man, His Conversion to God, and the Manner Thereof of Canons of Dordt.
“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” Ezekiel 36:26-27.
“even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;” Ephesians 2:5-8.
The gospel is also called “Good News”.
What is truly “Good News”?
Is it good news that salvation is dependent on the power of man who is dead in sin?
Or, is it good news that while man was dead in sin, “the power of God” made him alive and raise him up with Christ and seated him with Christ in the heavenly places?
What is the faith in today’s Scripture?
Is it faith in the power of man, namely faith in our own works or in our own alleged free-will?
Or, is it faith in “the power of God”?
“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.
“Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 9:23-24.
“But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 