Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 1 John 5:18-21.

 

“¹⁸ We know that no one who is born of God sins;  but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.  ¹⁹ We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.  ²⁰ And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true;  and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ.  This is the true God and eternal life.  ²¹ Little children, guard yourselves from idols.”  1 John 5:18-21.

 

————————- 

 

The “true God” is the Sovereign God Who preserves His saints to salvation. 

 

The “true God” gives birth to His elect with an imperishable seed:  “for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.”  1 Peter 1:23.

 

The “true God” keeps His children safe.   

“The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade on your right hand.
The sun will not smite you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The Lord will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.
The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in
From this time forth and forever.”  Psalm 121:5-8.

 

 

  “… This is the true God and eternal life.”  Verse 20.  This is the true God Who causes “Preservation of the Saints”, the “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

 

There are false gods who do not so preserve the saints.

                            

“The ‘god’ of Arminianism” by Augustus Toplady

“I dare say, that, in such an auditory as this, a number of Arminians are present.  I fear, that all our public assemblies have too many of them.  Perhaps, however, even these people, idolaters as they are, may be apt to blame, and, indeed, with justice, the absurdity of those who worship idols of silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.  But let me ask:  If it be so very absurd, to worship the work of other men’s hands what must it be, to worship the works of our own hands?  Perhaps, you may say, ‘God forbid that I should do so.

Nevertheless, let me tell you, that trust, confidence, reliance, and dependence, for salvation, are all acts and very solemn ones too, of divine worship:  and upon whatsoever you depend, whether in whole or in part, for your acceptance with God, and for your justification in his sight, whatsoever, you rely upon, and trust in, for the attainment of grace or glory;  if it be any thing short of God in Christ, you are an idolater for all intents and purposes.

Very different is the idea which Scripture gives us, of the ever-blessed God, from that of those false gods worshipped by the heathens;  and from that degrading representation of the true God, which Arminianism would palm upon mankind.  Our God (says this Psalm, verse the third) is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he pleased.  This is not the Arminian idea of God:  for our free-willers and our chance- mongers tell us, that God does not do whatsoever he pleases;  that there are a great number of things, which God wishes to do, and rags and strives to do, and yet cannot bring to pass  … Is their god the Bible-God? Certainly not.  Their god ‘submits’ to difficulties which he ‘cannot help’ himself out of, and endearours to make himself ‘easy’ under millions and millions of inextricable embarrassments, uncomfortable disappointments, and mortifying defeats. …This said scheme ascends, on the ladder of blasphemy, to the mountain top of atheism;  and then hurls itself from that precipice, into the gulf of blind, adamantine necessity, in order to prove mankind free agents!

… One great contest, between the religion of Arminianism, and the religion of Christ, is, who shall stand entitled to the praise and glory of a sinner’s salvation?  Conversion decides this point at once;  for I think that, without any imputation of uncharitableness, I may venture to say, that every truly awakened person, at least when he is under the shine of God’s countenance upon his soul, will fall down upon his knees, with this hymn of praise ascending from his heart, Not unto me, O Lord, not unto me, but to thy name, give the glory:  I am saved not for my righteousness, but for thy mercy and thy truth’s sake.”

In conclusion, there are not only idols made of silver of gold.  There are idols of gods made by the human mind such as this ‘god’ of Arminianism.  “Little children, guard yourselves from idols.”  Verse 21.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 John 5:16-17.

 

“If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death.  There is a sin leading to death;  I do not say that he should make request for this.  All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.”  1 John 5:16-17.

 

—————-

 

We have just finished reading about the power of prayer in 1 John 5:14-15:  “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”

 

What a good use of this power of prayer is presented by today’s devotion!  “If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death.  …”  Verse 16.

 

“and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.  Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.  The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”  James 5:15-16. 

 

Regarding the “sin leading to death”, it seems to me that sin is unbelief.  Both Scriptures refer to prayer for fellow Christian believers.  Today’s Scripture refers to “his brother” which I think means Christian brother.  The prior verse in the James Scripture clearly refers to those in church when it states:  “Is anyone among you sick?  Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;”.  James 5:14. 

 

Now, we can certainly pray that God will give faith to those who do not believe, causing them to become believers.  But, we should not simply ask for that sin of unbelief to be forgiven.  

 

God will not give life to those who do not believe in Jesus Christ.  Remember the very clear verse earlier in this chapter of 1 John 5:  “He who has the Son has the life;  he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.”  1 John 5:12.  

 

God will not bring unbelievers into His Kingdom of Heaven.  “Do not be bound together with unbelievers;  for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?  Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?”  2 Corinthians 6:14-15.  “the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers.”  Luke 12:46

Today’s devotion comes from 1 John 5:13-15.

 

“¹³ These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.  ¹⁴ This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”  1 John 5:13-15.

 

——————

 

There are two parts to this confidence that God will give us what we ask.  First part is the relationship that we have with God which is a relationship of saved-Savior and which is also a relationship of child-Father.  Second part is that we ask “according to His will”.  Verse 14.

 

 

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”  Romans 8:32. 

 

“Ask, and it will be given to you;  seek, and you will find;  knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”  Matthew 7:7-11.

 

 

 

Regarding the second part that we ask “according to His will” giving us confidence that God will give us what we ask, consider the following verses. 

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”  Luke 11:13.

 

Today’s devotion comes from 1 John 5:6-12.

 

“This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ;  not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood.  It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.  For there are three that testify:  the Spirit and the water and the blood;  and the three are in agreement.  If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater;  for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son.  The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself;  the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son.  And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He who has the Son has the life;  he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.”  1 John 5:6-12.

 

————-

 

When we hear someone tell us just that Jesus was a good man or a good teacher, they are likely “damning by faint praise”.  Click here: Damning with faint praise – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia  They will not admit Jesus Christ is the only Savior, but they don’t want to appear as if they totally reject Him. 

 

But, today’s Scripture does not allow any such faint praise.  “… the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son.  And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He who has the Son has the life;  he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.”  Verses 10-12. 

 

It is not only those groups that deny that Jesus is God who damn by faint praise.  There are those who admit that Jesus is God, but teach that it is ultimately up to man to choose Christ and keep Christ.  They focus on man and his alleged “free will”.  They teach that a man can have Christ, but if he does not continue to use his own “free will” throughout his life until death to keep his own faith, then he can fall from grace and lose Christ and lose eternal life.

 

 

 

 

We believe that, to attain the true knowledge of this great mystery, the Holy Ghost kindleth in our hearts an upright faith, which embraces Jesus Christ, with all his merits, appropriates him, and seeks nothing more besides him.  For it must needs follow, either that all things, which are requisite to our salvation, are not in Jesus Christ, or if all things are in him, that then those who possess Jesus Christ through faith, have complete salvation in him.  Therefore, for any to assert, that Christ is not sufficient, but that something more is required besides him, would be too gross a blasphemy:  for hence it would follow, that Christ was but half a Savior.  Therefore we justly say with Paul, that we are justified by faith alone, or by faith without works. However, to speak more clearly, we do not mean, that faith itself justifies us, for it is only an instrument with which we embrace Christ our Righteousness.  But Jesus Christ, imputing to us all his merits and so many holy works which he has done for us, and in our stead, is our Righteousness.  And faith is an instrument that keeps us in communion with him in all his benefits, which, when become ours, are more than sufficient to acquit us of our sins.  The Belgic Confession.

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.  Canons of Dordt FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Perseverance of the Saints.

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.  Canons of Dordt FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Perseverance of the Saints.

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

 

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world;  and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.  Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”  1 John 5:4-5.

 

————-

 

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you have tribulation, but take courage;  I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33.

 

“I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning.  I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father.  I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning.  I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”  1 John 2:13-14.

 

Today’s devotion comes from 1 John 5:3.

 

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments;  and His commandments are not burdensome.”  1 John 5:3.

 

—————–

 

Instead of burdensome commandments on top of us, we have “the love of God” within us causing us to obey His commandments out of this love of God within us.  Verse 3.

                                       

Instead of a heavy and deadening yoke of the Law, we have the living Spirit of God.  “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 36:27

Today’s devotion comes from 1 John 4:20 through 1 John 5:2. 

 

“If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar;  for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.  And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.  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.”  1 John 4:20 through 1 John 5:2.

 

——————-

 

There is Scripture that states that we should love our enemies.  Matthew 5:43-48.

 

But, today’s Scripture focuses on a love for our fellow Christians:  for our “brother”, for those “born of Him”, and for “children of God”. 

 

Today’s devotion comes from 1 John 4:19.

 

“We love, because He first loved us.”  1 John 4:19.

 

———————-

 

“We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us.  God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”  1 John 4:16. 

 

“I am the vine, you are the branches;  he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”  John 15:5

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love …”  Galatians 5:22.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 John 4:15-18.

 

“¹⁵ Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  ¹⁶ We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us.  God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.  ¹⁷ By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment;  because as He is, so also are we in this world.  ¹⁸ There is no fear in love;  but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”  1 John 4:15-18.

 

—————

 

Today’s Scripture teaches us the importance of confidence.  It is not the false confidence which comes from trusting ourselves.  But, it is the true confidence which comes from faith in God.  

 

“By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment;  because as He is, so also are we in this world.”  Verse 17.  “There is no fear in love;  but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”  Verse 18.

 

 

“We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us.  …”  Verse 16. 

 

This belief is not a belief that God loves everyone.  Rather, this is a belief that we are one of the elect whom God loves.

 

This belief is not a belief that there is anything loveable about us.  Rather, it is a belief that God is love.

 

This is not a belief that God loves us because we are godly and righteous.  Rather, it is a belief that God loved us even though we were ungodly and unrighteous.  “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will hardly die for a righteous man;  though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:6-8. 

 

This belief is not a belief that God has faith that we will do the right thing.  This belief is a belief that God will do the right thing and do every thing for our salvation from “Unconditional Election” through “Limited Atonement” through “Irresistible Grace” through “Preservation of the Saints”, “U” through “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.  …”  Ephesians 1:3-4.  

 

This belief is not a belief that we are faithful.  This belief is a belief that God is faithful and will preserve us to salvation.  “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.”   Article 9. of FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Perseverance of the Saints of the Canons of Dordt

                                   

In conclusion, this is the love that God has for us.  “Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.  For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”  Hebrews 10:35-39.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 John 4:11-14.

 

“¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  ¹² No one has seen God at any time;  if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.  ¹³ By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.  ¹⁴ We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.”  1 John 4:11-14.

 

———————-

 

There was nothing attractive about us that made us loveable.  “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will hardly die for a righteous man;  though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:6-8.

 

““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 7:7-8.

 

“Beloved, if God so loved us (when we were “helpless”, “ungodly”, “sinners”, and otherwise unimpressive collectively), we also ought to love one another.”  Verse 11.

 

Our love for others should not be based on what others do for us or can do for us.  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven;  for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?  Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others?  Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  Matthew 5:43-48.

 

Rather, our love for others should be based on what God has done for us.  “God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.”  Verse 12.  “He has given us of His Spirit.”  Verse 13.  “We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.”  Verse 14.  “… the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  Romans 5:5.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love …”  Galatians 5:22.  “We love, because He first loved us.”  1 John 4:19.