Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 11:35-38.

“Women received back their dead by resurrection;  and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection;  and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.  They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword;  they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.”  Hebrews 11:35-38.

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Today’s Scripture presents other works of faith that at first seem to be the opposite of the works of faith that we read in the immediate prior Scripture of those “who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.”  Hebrews 11:33-34. 

But, when we read that by faith they did and endured these things “so that they might obtain a better resurrection”, then with joy, we pause to linger over this Scripture to meditate, and we also realize that it is a very appropriate Scripture for today, Good Friday. 

“that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;  in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”  Philippians 3:10-11.

“For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,”  Romans 6:5.

“Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”  Romans 6:4. 

“having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”  Colossians 2:12.

“we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;  persecuted, but not forsaken;  struck down, but not destroyed;  always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”  2 Corinthians 4:8-10. 

The following concluding two Scriptures summarize our faith and the hope that we have in the midst of our afflictions.

“I have been crucified with Christ;  and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;  and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”  Galatians 2:20.

“For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen;  for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”  2 Corinthians 4:17-18.