Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 15.

“O Lord, who may abide in Your tent?
Who may dwell on Your holy hill?
² He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart.
³ He does not slander with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
⁴ In whose eyes a reprobate is despised,
But who honors those who fear the Lord;
He swears to his own hurt and does not change;
⁵ He does not put out his money at interest,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things will never be shaken.”   Psalm chapter 15.

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A few days ago, we read:

“For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness;
The upright will behold His face.”  Psalm 11:7.

So, we can understand today’s Scripture:

“O Lord, who may abide in Your tent?
Who may dwell on Your holy hill?
² He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart.”  Verses 1-2. 

But, in our last devotion, we read:

“… “There is none righteous, not even one;
11 There is none who understands,
There is none who seeks for God;
12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless;
There is none who does good,
There is not even one.”  Romans 3:10-11.

How is man’s “Total Depravity” reconciled with God’s love of righteousness?!

But, there is hope!  God has done it!!

“And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,  yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—”  Colossians 1:21-22.

“But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe;  for there is no distinction;  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;  whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.”  Romans 3:21-25. 

“For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”  Romans 5:17.

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 14.

“The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds;
There is no one who does good.
2 The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men
To see if there are any who understand,
Who seek after God.
3 They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt;
There is no one who does good, not even one.

4 Do all the workers of wickedness not know,
Who eat up my people as they eat bread,
And do not call upon the Lord?
5 There they are in great dread,
For God is with the righteous generation.
6 You would put to shame the counsel of the afflicted,
But the Lord is his refuge.

7 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When the Lord restores His captive people,
Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad.  Psalm chapter 14.

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“10 as it is written,

“There is none righteous, not even one;
11 There is none who understands,
There is none who seeks for God;
12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless;
There is none who does good,
There is not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave,
With their tongues they keep deceiving,”
“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood,
16 Destruction and misery are in their paths,
17 And the path of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”  Romans 3:10-18.

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.  Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”  Ephesians 2:1-3.

Reformed Doctrine summarizes these Scriptures and other similar Scriptures as “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

When we believe “Total Depravity” with our mind, then “Unconditional Election”, the next point of “TULIP” will make logical sense, because we will understand that because we are dead in sin, there is nothing that we can contribute that will obtain or secure our salvation and that our only chance for salvation is “Unconditional Election” by God.

But, when we really believe “Total Depravity” with our heart, then our heart will rejoice about “Unconditional Election”.  We will eagerly preach and teach it.  We will pound the pulpit and shout from the rooftops about these precious truths of the gospel.

I bring out this second point about believing with our heart, because there seems to be too many who belong to Reformed or Presbyterian churches who try so hard to avoid both “Total Depravity” and “Unconditional Election”.  They can’t refute the truth of that doctrine, but they certainly can and do bristle against it and avoid it and minimize it.  They may pay lip service and mention both points in passing, but it is only in passing on the way to the conclusion of their sermon or other teaching or concluding song which emphasizes man’s works, man’s wisdom, or man’s will (choices).  The totality of their words show that they really don’t believe “Total Depravity” or “Unconditional Election”.

But, what does the Heidelberg Catechism state about our comfort and happiness?
 
Q. 2.  How many things are necessary for thee to know, that thou, enjoying this comfort, mayest live and die happily?

A.  Three:  the first, how great my sins and miseries are;  the second, how I may be delivered from all my sins and miseries;  the third, how I shall express my gratitude to God for such deliverance.  Heidelberg Catechism.

“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.

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 13.

“How long, O Lord?  Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
4 And my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

5 But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.”    Psalm chapter 13.

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“Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.”  Psalm 116:7.

“10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him.
11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.”  Psalm 32:10-11.

“8 But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.
9 I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it,
And I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.”  Psalm 52:8-9.

Other doctrine tries to earn God’s lovingkindness whether by works or by will.

Reformed Doctrine trusts and rests in God’s lovingkindness.

Other doctrine anxiously tries to just do it and is thankful for what it thinks that it contributes to obtain and secure its own salvation.

But, Reformed Doctrine rejoices and gives thanks to God forever for His salvation, because He has done it from His “Unconditional Election” to His “Limited Atonement” to His “Irresistible Grace” to His “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 12.

“Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases to be,
For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.
² They speak falsehood to one another;
With flattering lips and with a double heart they speak.
³ May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
The tongue that speaks great things;
⁴ Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail;
Our lips are our own;  who is lord over us?”
⁵ “Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy,
Now I will arise,” says the Lord;  “I will set him in the safety for which he longs.”

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 11.

“In the Lord I take refuge;
How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain;
² For, behold, the wicked bend the bow,
They make ready their arrow upon the string
To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.
³ If the foundations are destroyed,
What can the righteous do?”

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm 10.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+10&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“12 Arise, O Lord;  O God, lift up Your hand.
Do not forget the afflicted.
13 Why has the wicked spurned God?
He has said to himself, “You will not require it.”
14 You have seen it, for You have beheld mischief and vexation to take it into Your hand.
The unfortunate commits himself to You;
You have been the helper of the orphan.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer,
Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

16 The Lord is King forever and ever;
Nations have perished from His land.
17 O Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear
18 To vindicate the orphan and the oppressed,
So that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.”  Psalm 10:12-18.

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Prior to my above-stated quote, today’s Psalm chapter 10 goes into great detail about the pride and plots and perceived prosperity of the wicked.

I quote the conclusion of the chapter in which the Psalmist recognizes that the “LORD is King forever and ever” and the LORD has “heard the desire of the humble” and “will strengthen their heart” and will “vindicate the orphan and the oppressed, So that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.”  Verses 16-18.

This morning, as I read the title to my Tampa Bay Times newspaper “Islamists’ bomb kills 65 celebrating Easter”, I pray:  “Yes, LORD, take action through Your sovereign rule and almighty power “So that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.”

Other doctrine trusts princes and politicians to end terror.

But, Reformed Doctrine trusts in God.

“3 Do not trust in princes,
In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 His spirit departs, he returns to the earth;
In that very day his thoughts perish.
5 How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 Who made heaven and earth,
The sea and all that is in them;
Who keeps faith forever;
7 Who executes justice for the oppressed;
Who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free.

8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind;
The Lord raises up those who are bowed down;
The Lord loves the righteous;
9 The Lord protects the strangers;
He supports the fatherless and the widow,
But He thwarts the way of the wicked.
10 The Lord will reign forever,
Your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!”  Psalm 146:3-10.

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 9.

“I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart;
I will tell of all Your wonders.
2 I will be glad and exult in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

3 When my enemies turn back,
They stumble and perish before You.
4 For You have maintained my just cause;
You have sat on the throne judging righteously.
5 You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemy has come to an end in perpetual ruins,
And You have uprooted the cities;
The very memory of them has perished.

7 But the Lord abides forever;
He has established His throne for judgment,
8 And He will judge the world in righteousness;
He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.
9 The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed,
A stronghold in times of trouble;
10 And those who know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

11 Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion;
Declare among the peoples His deeds.
12 For He who requires blood remembers them;
He does not forget the cry of the afflicted.
13 Be gracious to me, O Lord;
See my affliction from those who hate me,
You who lift me up from the gates of death,
14 That I may tell of all Your praises,
That in the gates of the daughter of Zion
I may rejoice in Your salvation.
15 The nations have sunk down in the pit which they have made;
In the net which they hid, their own foot has been caught.
16 The Lord has made Himself known;
He has executed judgment.
In the work of his own hands the wicked is snared.  Higgaion  Selah.

17 The wicked will return to Sheol,
Even all the nations who forget God.
18 For the needy will not always be forgotten,
Nor the hope of the afflicted perish forever.
19 Arise, O Lord, do not let man prevail;
Let the nations be judged before You.
20 Put them in fear, O Lord;
Let the nations know that they are but men. Selah.”  Psalm chapter 9.

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“I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart;
I will tell of all Your wonders.”  Verse 1.

“I will be glad and exult in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.”  Verse 2.

“Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion;
Declare among the peoples His deeds.”  Verse 11.

“That I may tell of all Your praises,
That in the gates of the daughter of Zion
I may rejoice in Your salvation.”  Verse 14.

We give thanks to the LORD with all of our heart, because He has done it.  He has accomplished salvation for us.

We tell of God’s wonders, because it is wonderful that God would choose us, people who were dead in sin, hostile to God, and enslaved to sin and Satan, for salvation.

We are glad and exult in God, because there was nothing within us, whether wisdom, might, nobility, will, or cuteness, that gives us reason to be glad and exult in ourselves.

We sing praises to the LORD, because He has done great things for us and put joy in our hearts.

We rejoice in God’s salvation, because by His doing we are in Christ Jesus.  God saved us by His deeds of His “Unconditional Election”, His “Limited Atonement”, His “Irresistible Grace”, and His “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

This is a special post on this Good Friday dedicated to help us better understand the meaning of Christ’s death on the cross for us.

Reformed Doctrine teaches “Limited Atonement”, the “L” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

In the briefest nutshell, “Limited Atonement” summarizes Scripture that Christ died only for the elect, not for everyone in the world. 

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 8.

“O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength
Because of Your adversaries,
To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.

3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;
4 What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
5 Yet You have made him a little lower than God,
And You crown him with glory and majesty!
6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
7 All sheep and oxen,
And also the beasts of the field,
8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

9 O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth!”  Psalm chapter 8.

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All of God’s creation (the heavens, the earth, the animals, and man) display God’s splendor and majesty.

All of the Scriptures proudly attribute the heavens, the earth, the animals, and man as being distinctly created by God.  We see this throughout Scripture from the beginning to the end, from the first book of Genesis to the last book of Revelation.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”  Genesis 1:1.  “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.  …”  Genesis 1:31.

“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.

And, day by day, Genesis chapter 1 pounds the table that each part of creation was created in a day, for a total of six days.  Six times, we even see each of the six days defined similar to the first day:  “… And there was evening and there was morning, one day.”  Genesis 1:5.  Thus, there is no room for error.  Scripture clearly and repeatedly refutes any foolish speculation that creation was completed over thousands or millions or billions of years.  Creation was completed in less than one week.

And yet, other doctrine tries to subtract from the majesty of God by teaching or tolerating evolution.

But, Reformed Doctrine recognizes that Scripture continually teaches both that God created the heavens, the earth, the animals, and man and that God’s creation displays God’s majesty.

Is teaching or tolerating evolution a minor mistake?  What does Scripture state?

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.  For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.  For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”  Romans 1:20-25.

“O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!”  Psalm 8:1.