Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 1 John 5:1-4.

“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments;  and His commandments are not burdensome.  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world;  and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”  1 John 5:1-4.

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Those who are born of God believe that Jesus is the Christ.

Those who are born of God love God the Father and God the Son.

Those who are born of God love the children of God.

Those who are born of God observe His commandments.

Those who are born of God overcome the world.

Those who are born of God receive the faith that is the gift of God, that justifying gift that was earned by Christ through His sacrifice of the cross which He obtained along with the other saving gifts for all the elect and only for the elect, that faith by which “men of old gained approval” in the language of Hebrews 11:2.  

“For by grace you have been saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:8-9.

Other doctrine twists today’s Scripture and other Scripture trying to place burdensome commands on man dependent on man’s work and man’s will.

But, Reformed Doctrine eagerly seeks out the gifts of God and trusts God and His gifts.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart;  and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.  For My yoke is easy, and My load is light”.  Matthew 11:28-29.

What is a yoke?  According to Oxford American Dictionary, published in 1980 by Oxford University Press, a yoke is a “wooden crosspiece”.  It is a foundation for pulling or work.

The cross is a wooden crosspiece that was fastened to Christ as a foundation for His work of carrying away the sins of the world. The yoke that Christ endured was the cross, but the yoke that Christ give us is His Spirit.

The Pharisees lay law upon law on the people:  “And they tie up heavy loads, and lay them on men’s shoulders;  but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.”  Matthew 23:4.

In sharpest contrast, Christ tied up the heavy loads of the law and laid them on His own shoulders and gave us His Spirit as a yoke:  “in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit”.  Romans 8:4.

Christ assured us:  “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.  I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;  that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-17.

God promised long ago.  “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”  Ezekiel 35:26-27.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22.