Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Song of Solomon chapter 8.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song+of+Solomon+8&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“6 “Put me like a seal over your heart,
Like a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
The very flame of the Lord.
7 “Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor will rivers overflow it;
If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love,
It would be utterly despised.”  Song of Solomon 8:6-7.

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“Put me like a seal over your heart,
Like a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
The very flame of the Lord.”  Verse 6.

” —for you shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God—”  Exodus 34:14.

“You shall have no other gods before Me.

“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.  You shall not worship them or serve them;  for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”  Exodus 20:3-6.

“For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”  Deuteronomy 4:24.

We may like certain things about our image of God.  But, we also like certain things about the world.  We tend to wander.  In the strong language of Scripture, if left to ourselves, we are like a harlot.

“But you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot because of your fame, and you poured out your harlotries on every passer-by who might be willing.  You took some of your clothes, made for yourself high places of various colors and played the harlot on them, which should never come about nor happen.  You also took your beautiful jewels made of My gold and of My silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself male images that you might play the harlot with them.  Then you took your embroidered cloth and covered them, and offered My oil and My incense before them.  Also My bread which I gave you, fine flour, oil and honey with which I fed you, you would offer before them for a soothing aroma;  so it happened,” declares the Lord God.  “Moreover, you took your sons and daughters whom you had borne to Me and sacrificed them to idols to be devoured.  Were your harlotries so small a matter?”  Ezekiel 16:15-20.

But, there is hope!

Reformed Doctrine teaches “Preservation of the Saints”, the “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Article 3.  By reason of these remains of indwelling sin, and the temptations of sin and of the world, those who are converted could not persevere in a state of grace, if left to their own strength.  But God is faithful, who having conferred grace, mercifully confirms, and powerfully preserves them herein, even to the end.

Article 8.  Thus, it is not in consequence of their own merits, or strength, but of God’s free mercy, that they do not totally fall from faith and grace, nor continue and perish finally in their backslidings;  which, with respect to themselves, is not only possible, but would undoubtedly happen;  but with respect to God, it is utterly impossible, since his counsel cannot be changed, nor his promise fail, neither can the call according to his purpose be revoked, nor the merit, intercession and preservation of Christ be rendered ineffectual, nor the sealing of the Holy Spirit be frustrated or obliterated.

Article 9.  Of this preservation of the elect to salvation, and of their perseverance in the faith, true believers for themselves may and ought to obtain assurance according to the measure of their faith, whereby they arrive at the certain persuasion, that they ever will continue true and living members of the church;  and that they experience forgiveness of sins, and will at last inherit eternal life.  Canons of Dordt – FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Perseverance of the Saints.

“In Him (Christ), you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him (Christ) with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”  Ephesians 1:13-14.

Today’s devotion comes from Song of Solomon 7:1-9.

“How beautiful are your feet in sandals,
O prince’s daughter!
The curves of your hips are like jewels,
The work of the hands of an artist.
2 “Your navel is like a round goblet
Which never lacks mixed wine;
Your belly is like a heap of wheat
Fenced about with lilies.
3 “Your two breasts are like two fawns,
Twins of a gazelle.
4 “Your neck is like a tower of ivory,
Your eyes like the pools in Heshbon
By the gate of Bath-rabbim;
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon,
Which faces toward Damascus.
5 “Your head crowns you like Carmel,
And the flowing locks of your head are like purple threads;
The king is captivated by your tresses.
6 “How beautiful and how delightful you are,
My love, with all your charms!
7 “Your stature is like a palm tree,
And your breasts are like its clusters.
8 “I said, ‘I will climb the palm tree,
I will take hold of its fruit stalks.’
Oh, may your breasts be like clusters of the vine,
And the fragrance of your breath like apples,
9 And your mouth like the best wine!”

“It goes down smoothly for my beloved,
Flowing gently through the lips of those who fall asleep.”  Song of Solomon 7:1-9.

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Wow!

I have seen some amazing photos of animals and thought that God, their Creator, was just showing off His beautiful creativity.

But, this written description of Solomon’s bride is “over the top”.  It is breath-taking, dazzling, stunning and even more makes us think of her Creator.

“…  The curves of your hips are like jewels,
The work of the hands of an artist.”  Verse 1.

And yet, when God created woman, He did not refer to her beauty.  God simply referred to His intention to making her a helper suitable for the man.

“Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone;  I will make him a helper suitable for him.”  Genesis 2:18.

Likewise, when Proverbs chapter 31 refers to an excellent wife, it focuses on all the things that the excellent wife does to help her husband.

“10 An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.”  Proverbs 31:10-12.

Furthermore, in this same chapter describing the excellent wife, it minimizes the importance of beauty.

“30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.”  Proverbs 31:30-31.

What does all of this tell us about God?

God does not just do the minimum necessary to get the job done.  As we go back and consider the animals, we think that it was not necessary for God to give each animal such beauty.  God could have simply created the animal to function well in its environment.  God could have used similar colors and patterns.  But, God made each species of animal uniquely different in beauty.

If God has concern to make each species of animal uniquely different in beauty, how much more concern does God have for men and women!  Even though the qualities of fearing God and helpfulness are most important, God does show His lavish love for us by creating such beautiful women.

But, as we have stated many times, God’s love is only for His people a/k/a His elect a/k/a His church.  

Although there are certainly beautiful unbelievers, God is repelled by their beauty.

“The Lord of hosts has planned it, to defile the pride of all beauty,
To despise all the honored of the earth.”  Isaiah 23:9.

“But you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot because of your fame, and you poured out your harlotries on every passer-by who might be willing.”  Ezekiel 16:15.

In sharpest contrast, God’s people a/k/a His elect a/k/a His church are treasured like a crown of beauty in His hand.

“You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
And a royal diadem in the hand of your God.”  Isaiah 62:3.

“16 And the Lord their God will save them in that day
As the flock of His people;
For they are as the stones of a crown,
Sparkling in His land.
17 For what comeliness and beauty will be theirs!
Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.”  Zechariah 9:16-17.

“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power;  for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”  Revelation 4:11.

Today’s devotion comes from Song of Solomon chapter 6.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song+of+Solomon+6&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“9 But my dove, my perfect one, is unique:
She is her mother’s only daughter;
She is the pure child of the one who bore her.
The maidens saw her and called her blessed,
The queens and the concubines also, and they praised her, saying,

10 ‘Who is this that grows like the dawn,
As beautiful as the full moon,
As pure as the sun,
As awesome as an army with banners?’”  Song of Solomon 6:9-10.

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We live in a day and age where the world wants everyone to view everyone as equal.  We are equal in the sight of God, and God equally loves all of us, they teach.  We have heard it so many times.  It sounds good.  It sounds fair.

But, is that what Scripture teaches?  Is that what today’s Scripture teaches? 

We see in today’s Scripture that Solomon certainly did not view all the women as equal.  “But my dove, my perfect one, is unique …”  Verse 9.

Scripture elsewhere also does not teach husbands to love all women equally. 

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, …  So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies.  He who loves his own wife loves himself;  for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body.  For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”  Ephesians 5:25-30.

Even in the Old Testament, we did not see God love and treat everyone equally.

“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.

“The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”  Deuteronomy 7:6-8.

“Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it.  Yet on your fathers did the Lord set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day.”  Deuteronomy 10:14-15.

In summary, God chose His people a/k/a His elect a/k/a those who would be part of His church for whom He would do everything necessary for their salvation from “Unconditional Election” through “Limited Atonement” through “Irresistible Grace” to “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”  Ephesians 1:3-6.

“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.

God’s choice was not based on anything that the people did.  God’s choice was done “before the foundation of the earth” and was based on God’s purpose alone.  That is why it is “Unconditional Election”.

“And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac;  for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger.”  Just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

What shall we say then?  There is no injustice with God, is there?  May it never be!  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 9:10-16.

“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 1:30-31.

Today’s devotion comes from Song of Solomon chapter 4.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song+of+Solomon+4&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“How beautiful you are, my darling,
How beautiful you are!
Your eyes are like doves behind your veil;
Your hair is like a flock of goats
That have descended from Mount Gilead.
2 “Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn ewes
Which have come up from their washing,
All of which bear twins,
And not one among them has lost her young.
3 “Your lips are like a scarlet thread,
And your mouth is lovely.
Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate
Behind your veil.
4 “Your neck is like the tower of David,
Built with rows of stones
On which are hung a thousand shields,
All the round shields of the mighty men.
5 “Your two breasts are like two fawns,
Twins of a gazelle
Which feed among the lilies.
6 “Until the cool of the day
When the shadows flee away,
I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh
And to the hill of frankincense.

7 “You are altogether beautiful, my darling,
And there is no blemish in you.”  Song of Solomon 4:1-7.

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Solomon’s love for his bride is an image of Christ’s love for His church.

“You are altogether beautiful, my darling,
And there is no blemish in you.”  Verse 7.

And, Solomon’s statement “there is no blemish in you.” points us to what Christ did for His church.

“… Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing;  but that she would be holy and blameless.”  Ephesians 5:25-27.

“I will rejoice greatly in the Lord,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”  Isaiah 61:10.

“You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
And a royal diadem in the hand of your God.”  Isaiah 62:3.

“…  And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
So your God will rejoice over you.”  Isaiah 62:5.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever.  Amen.”  Jude 1:24-25.

Today’s devotion comes from Song of Solomon 3:6-11.

“6 “What is this coming up from the wilderness
Like columns of smoke,
Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
With all scented powders of the merchant?
7 “Behold, it is the traveling couch of Solomon;
Sixty mighty men around it,
Of the mighty men of Israel.
8 “All of them are wielders of the sword,
Expert in war;
Each man has his sword at his side,
Guarding against the terrors of the night.
9 “King Solomon has made for himself a sedan chair
From the timber of Lebanon.
10 “He made its posts of silver,
Its back of gold
And its seat of purple fabric,
With its interior lovingly fitted out
By the daughters of Jerusalem.
11 “Go forth, O daughters of Zion,
And gaze on King Solomon with the crown
With which his mother has crowned him
On the day of his wedding,
And on the day of his gladness of heart.”  Song of Solomon 3:6-11.

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Like Solomon’s bride rejoiced in the authority and power of King Solomon in today’s Scripture, such as “Go forth, O daughters of Zion, And gaze on King Solomon with the crown” in verse 11, the church rejoices in the authority and power of Christ the King.

Other doctrine resents, resists, and rebels against the authority and power of Christ the King.  “Give us free-will!”, they cry out.

“Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”  Psalm 2:3.

But, Reformed Doctrine recalls, rejoices, and rests in the authority and power of Christ the King.

“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power;  for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”  Revelation 4:11.

“3 And they *sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

“Great and marvelous are Your works,
O Lord God, the Almighty;
Righteous and true are Your ways,
King of the nations!
4 “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy;
For all the nations will come and worship before You,
For Your righteous acts have been revealed.”  Revelation 15:3-4.

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.  His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems;  and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.  He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.  From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron;  and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.  And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”  Revelation 19:11-16.

“The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;
Let the many islands be glad.
2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
3 Fire goes before Him
And burns up His adversaries round about.
4 His lightnings lit up the world;
The earth saw and trembled.
5 The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
6 The heavens declare His righteousness,
And all the peoples have seen His glory.”  Psalm 97:1-6.

Today’s devotion comes from Song of Solomon 3:1-5.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song%20of%20Solomon+3&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“On my bed night after night I sought him
Whom my soul loves;
I sought him but did not find him.
2 ‘I must arise now and go about the city;
In the streets and in the squares
I must seek him whom my soul loves.’
I sought him but did not find him.
3 “The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,
And I said, ‘Have you seen him whom my soul loves?’
4 “Scarcely had I left them
When I found him whom my soul loves;
I held on to him and would not let him go
Until I had brought him to my mother’s house,
And into the room of her who conceived me.”  Song of Solomon 3:1-4.

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Many are content with their dreams, desires, and idols as to who God is or should be.

“On my bed night after night I sought him
Whom my soul loves;
I sought him but did not find him.”  Verse 1.

Some seek God where God could be, that is, “in the streets and in the squares”, a metaphor for in the Scriptures.
 
“‘I must arise now and go about the city;
In the streets and in the squares
I must seek him whom my soul loves.’  …”  Verse 2.

But, few seek God in the Scriptures diligently. 

“The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,
And I said, ‘Have you seen him whom my soul loves?’”

And yet, we have this promise from Scripture.

“I love those who love me;
And those who diligently seek me will find me.”  Proverbs 8:17.

“Scarcely had I left them
When I found him whom my soul loves;  …”  Verse 4.

And so what should we do after we find God?

“… I held on to him and would not let him go …”  Verse 4.

In a word, we should “cling” to God. 

“But you are to cling to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day.”  Joshua 23:8.

“You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him;  and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.”  Deuteronomy 13:4.

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life;  it is these that testify about Me;  and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.”  John 5:39-40.

“Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.”  Galatians 3:24.

“Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.”  Romans 7:4.

“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.  This mystery is great;  but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.”  Ephesians 5:31-32.

Today’s devotion comes from Song of Solomon chapter 2.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song+of+Solomon+2&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“3 “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest,
So is my beloved among the young men.
In his shade I took great delight and sat down,
And his fruit was sweet to my taste.
4 “He has brought me to his banquet hall,
And his banner over me is love.

…

16 “My beloved is mine, and I am his;
He pastures his flock among the lilies.”  Song of Solomon 2:3-4 and 16.

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These images remind us of our Lord’s sweet and lavish care for us.  And, why should that be surprising when we consider that the Lord is like a husband to us, His church?!

“8 O taste and see that the Lord is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
9 O fear the Lord, you His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is no want.
10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.”  Psalm 34:8-10.

“The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”  Psalm chapter 23.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”  Ephesians 2:4-7.

“6 The Lord of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain;
A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow,
And refined, aged wine.
7 And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples,
Even the veil which is stretched over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death for all time,
And the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces,
And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth;
For the Lord has spoken.
9 And it will be said in that day,
“Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us.
This is the Lord for whom we have waited;
Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”  Isaiah 25:6-9.

Today’s devotion comes from Song of Solomon chapter 1.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song+of+Solomon+1&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“8 “If you yourself do not know,
Most beautiful among women,
Go forth on the trail of the flock
And pasture your young goats
By the tents of the shepherds.

9 “To me, my darling, you are like
My mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.
10 “Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,
Your neck with strings of beads.”

11 “We will make for you ornaments of gold
With beads of silver.”

12 “While the king was at his table,
My perfume gave forth its fragrance.
13 “My beloved is to me a pouch of myrrh
Which lies all night between my breasts.
14 “My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms
In the vineyards of Engedi.”

15 “How beautiful you are, my darling,
How beautiful you are!
Your eyes are like doves.”  Song of Solomon 1:8-15.

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The love of Solomon for his bride is a figurative image of the love of Christ for His church.

In chapter 1, we read expressions of love back and forth between the bride and the groom.

We notice the special love of Solomon for only His bride pointing out special qualities in his bride.  Solomon did not love all the women, but his love was fixed on his bride.  We see this most strongly in the following verse.

“To me, my darling, you are like
My mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.”  Verse 8.

Let us consider how this figurative language vividly illustrated how his bride clearly stood out as worthy of his focus of love.

What a contrast!  First, a living mare (a female horse) stands out as very different than dead chariots, so to speak.  Second, a black mare even more stands out as being very different than chariots that were likely white or a lighter color than a black mare.  Third, Solomon did not care for (if not hated) Egyptian chariots, but loved his own horse that he purchased.

I remember seeing my wife for the very first time.  She was standing across the dance floor in this blue dress.  Although she was about 40 feet away, it was as if every one and every thing else in the room disappeared when I saw her.

Other doctrine teaches that Christ loves everyone.

But, consistent with this Scripture, Reformed Doctrine teaches that Christ only loves His church (the elect).

And, Christ only died for His church (the elect).  This is “Limited Atonement”, the “L” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing;  but that she would be holy and blameless.”  Ephesians 5:25-27.

“Jesus spoke these things;  and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come;  glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life.”  John 17:1-2.

Jesus said:  “I am the good shepherd;  the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”  John 10:11.  Does a good shepherd lay down his life for all sheep or only His sheep?

Other doctrine maintains that even though Christ loves everyone, Christ allows a great many of those to go to hell.  What kind of love is that?!

But, Reformed Doctrine maintains that all of those whom God has given Him (which are the elect) Christ has saved every one of them.

“While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me;  and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.”  John 17:12.

There is the sharpest difference between the elect and the non-elect, between Christ’s sheep and those who are not His sheep.

“I ask on their behalf;  I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me;  for they are Yours;”  John 17:8.

“But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep.  My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;  and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish;  and no one will snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all;  and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”  John 10:26-29.