Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived;  neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.  Such were some of you;  but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”  1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

——————

We try to prove our own righteousness by claiming that we do not practice one type of unrighteousness and point to others who do practice that type of unrighteousness.

We may say:  “I am not a thief like this other guy.”

But, are you covetous?

Or, we may say:  “I do not covet this professional athlete’s money.”

But, do you covet the professional athlete’s wife?

There is a long list of types of unrighteousness listed in today’s Scripture for a reason.  And, there are different ways that we can exhibit each type of unrighteousness for a reason.

“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  Matthew 5:48.

But, how far from perfect we are!!

“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.

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.  Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”  Ephesians 2:1-3.

Reformed Doctrine summarizes this point of man’s natural condition as “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation, more fully taught in the Canons of Dordt.

Unless we receive God’s grace, we will not even want to be perfect.

And, unless we receive God’s grace, we are not able to be perfect even if we wanted to be perfect.

But, there is hope!

“Such were some of you;  but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”  Verse 11.

“And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”  Acts 20:32.

We need God’s grace to wash us, to sanctify us, and to justify us.

We need God’s “Irresistible Grace”, the “I” of “TULIP”, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation more fully taught in the Canons of Dordt.  

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. Canons of Dordt in the section THIRD AND FOURTH HEADS OF DOCTRINE Of the Corruption of Man, His Conversion to God, and the Manner Thereof.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 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.”  Ephesians 2:4-7.

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely;  and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.”  1 Thessalonians 5:23-24.