Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 11:39-40.

“And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.”  Hebrews 11:39-40.

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“Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet;  for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.  For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.”  1 Corinthians 15:51-53.

“For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words.”  1 Thessalonians 4:15-18.

This is difficult Scripture to understand.  In any event, you may remembering reading at the “About Me” section of my web site, “Although I do my best to present true teachings, these are my teachings as a layman.  (I am an attorney, not a minister).  And, although I have been taught by and otherwise influenced primarily by certain Reformed and Presbyterian denominations through the years from a very early age to date, my teachings are not necessarily the teachings of the Christian Reformed Church, the Protestant Reformed Churches, Presbyterian churches, nor any other denomination.  The reader is advised to follow the example set forth in Acts 17:11:  “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”

And so, many times, you will see that my daily devotions contain only Scripture.  But, there are times like today when I think my words may help the reader understand Scripture.  So, please examine “the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”

I think an analogy that helps us understand these Scriptures is a graduation ceremony.  There are those who leave before us to to go to the auditorium where the graduation will occur.  We do not see them until we come to the auditorium and graduate with them.  At the auditorium, they can rest, register, and enjoy the pre-ceremony sights and sounds.  But, they will not graduate before us.  They will wait for us.  All will graduate together, receive the imperishable graduation robe together, and rejoice together.

“For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.”  Romans 8:19.

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”  Hebrews 12:1.

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;  who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”  Philippians 3:20-21.

“But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY.”  1 Corinthians 15:54.