Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 19:12-16.
“Then the two men said to Lot, “Whom else have you here? A son-in-law, and your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, bring them out of the place; for we are about to destroy this place, because their outcry has become so great before the LORD that the LORD has sent us to destroy it.” Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, and said, “Up, get out of this place, for the LORD will destroy the city.” But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be jesting.
When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the LORD was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city.” Genesis 19:12-16.
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The sons-in-law did not believe Lot that the LORD would destroy the city, thinking he was jesting, and they were not saved.
Even Lot hesitated at the urging of the angels themselves, but he was saved, “for the compassion of the LORD was upon him”.
We note the strong sovereign action of the angels. “… So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the LORD was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city.” Verse 16. There is no room for Lot to claim credit for his salvation, not for his works nor even as little as his alleged free-will to be saved. Lot hesitated, and he needed to be seized by the angels and be brought out and put outside the city.
“Thus it came about, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot lived.” Genesis 19:29.
Today’s Scripture reminds us of “Unconditional Election”. “For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.” So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” Romans 9:15-16.
Reformed Doctrine accurately summarizes Scripture and teaches that salvation is a work of God alone, by grace alone, and that God handles all the points of salvation from beginning to 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.
“But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.” So to speak, she became hardened.
“So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.” Romans 9:18.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 