Today’s devotion comes from James 1:9-11.
“But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.” James 1:9-11.
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“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14:11.
“And You save an afflicted people;
But Your eyes are on the haughty whom You abase.” 2 Samuel 22:28.
“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” James 4:6.
Other doctrine is proud, teaching that God loves everyone, Christ died for everyone, and man is in control of his own destiny by proving himself worthy of salvation by his own works or by at least his own alleged free-will choice of Christ. Under other doctrine, man gets at least some of the glory for his choice.
But, Reformed Doctrine is humble, teaching man’s “Total Depravity”, that man is dead in sin and unable to contribute anything to distinguish himself worthy of salvation and that man’s only chance for salvation is if God chooses him for salvation (“Unconditional Election”). Under Reformed Doctrine, God gets all the glory for His choice.
So to speak, by its humbling teaching of “Total Depravity”, Reformed Doctrine prepares the way for salvation as is figuratively described in the following Isaiah Scripture. “Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed”.
“3 A voice is calling,
“Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness;
Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.
4 “Let every valley be lifted up,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the rough ground become a plain,
And the rugged terrain a broad valley;
5 Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
And all flesh will see it together;
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
6 A voice says, “Call out.”
Then he answered, “What shall I call out?”
All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades,
When the breath of the LORD blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:3-8.
“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before 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 1:26-31.
But then, after its humbling teaching of “Total Depravity”, Reformed Doctrine declares that God provides all that His chosen ones need for salvation from beginning to the end: from the beginning of “Unconditional Election” through “Limited Atonement” through “Irresistible Grace” to the end of “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation. This true doctrine of salvation is more fully taught in the Reformed Confession called Canons of Dordt. God gets all the glory for salvation!
“Get yourself up on a high mountain,
O Zion, bearer of good news,
Lift up your voice mightily,
O Jerusalem, bearer of good news;
Lift it up, do not fear.
Say to the cities of Judah,
“Here is your God!” Isaiah 40:9.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 