Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Colossian’s 1:21-23.

“And although you were previously alienated and hostile in attitude, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His body of flesh through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.”  Colossian’s 1:21-23.

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Other doctrine clings to man, man’s works, man’s wisdom, and man’s will to please God.

But, what good is that?  “… you were previously alienated and hostile in attitude, engaged in evil deeds,”  Verse 21.   

In sharp contrast, Reformed Doctrine clings to God, God’s works, God’s wisdom, and God’s will.  

Reformed Doctrine clings to what Christ, God the Son, did on the cross.  “yet He has now reconciled you in His body of flesh through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—”  Verse 22.

Article 8.  For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of his Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation:  that is, it was the will of God, that Christ by the blood of the cross, whereby he confirmed the new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation, and given to him by the Father; that he should confer upon them faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he purchased for them by his death;  should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing;  and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the enjoyment of glory in his own presence forever.  Canons of Dordt in the section titled SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men Thereby.

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will hardly die for a righteous person;  though perhaps for the good person someone would even dare to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  And not only this, but we also celebrate in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”  Romans 5:6-11.