Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Leviticus 26:40-46.

“‘If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me— I also was acting with hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies—or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make amends for their iniquity, then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land.  For the land will be abandoned by them, and will make up for its sabbaths while it is made desolate without them.  They, meanwhile, will be making amends for their iniquity, because they rejected My ordinances and their soul abhorred My statutes.  Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, nor will I so abhor them as to destroy them, breaking My covenant with them;  for I am the LORD their God.  But I will remember for them the covenant with their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God.  I am the LORD.’”

These are the statutes and ordinances and laws which the LORD established between Himself and the sons of Israel through Moses at Mount Sinai.”  Leviticus 26:40-46. 

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Although we are called to repent and “make amends” (using the language of today’s Scripture) for our iniquity, Reformed Doctrine teaches that we are dead in sin, and we will not repent nor make amends unless God does a work of grace in making us alive and in making us willing and able to sufficiently repent and make amends. 

But, simplifying it even further, the LORD does not reject and destroy His elect, “for I am the LORD their God.”  

“Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, nor will I so abhor them as to destroy them, breaking My covenant with them;  for I am the LORD their God.  But I will remember for them the covenant with their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God.  I am the LORD.’”  Verses 44-45.

We see this very clearly in the following Scripture.  God does not save us for our sake.  God saves us for His sake, “so you will be My people, and I will be your God.” 

“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went.  I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst.  Then the nations will know that I am the LORD,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight.  For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land.  Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean;  I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.  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.  You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God.” Ezekiel 36:22-28.

God has His elect a/k/a His chosen ones a/k/a a people for His own possession.

“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God;  the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”  Deuteronomy 7:6.

“But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, from Egypt, to be a people for His own possession, as today.”  Deuteronomy 4:20.

“For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His own possession.” Psalm 135:4.

Consider the following from the Heidelberg Catechism.  Our only comfort is not our wisdom nor our free-will.  Our only comfort is that we belong to our faithful Savior Jesus Christ.  Our only comfort is that we are a people of God’s own possession.

“Q. 1.  What is thy only comfort in life and death?

A.  That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ;  who, with His precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil;  and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head;  yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto Him.

“But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;  for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD;  you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.”  1 Peter 2:9-10.