Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 1:4-7.

 

“⁴ John to the seven churches that are in Asia:  Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.  To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— ⁶ and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever.  Amen.  ⁷ Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him;  and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.  So it is to be.  Amen.”  Revelation 1:4-7.

 

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We are near the very beginning of the Book of Revelation, and today’s Scripture provides a fitting opening summary statement. 

 

First, we notice the contrast between “the seven churches” (the saved) and “the tribes of the earth” (the unsaved – the rest of the world).  Grace and peace go to “the seven churches”.  Reasons to mourn go to the “tribes of the earth”. 

 

Second, we notice the focus on Jesus Christ.  We read about Who Jesus is:  “the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth”.  Verse 5.  We read about what Jesus did (and does):  “loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father”.  Verses 5 and 6.  We read about what Jesus will do:  “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him”.  Verses 7.

 

Third, we notice the broad purpose of the events in Revelation:  “to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever.  Amen.”

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 1:1-3. 

 

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place;  and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.  Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it;  for the time is near.”  Revelation 1:1-3. 

 

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Whether the time is near for the Second Coming of Christ or the time is near for our death, or both, “the time is near”.  Verse 3. 

 

It is a time for prophecy and preparation. 

 

We see Israel in Genesis 47:29:  “When the time for Israel to die drew near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “Please, if I have found favor in your sight, place now your hand under my thigh and deal with me in kindness and faithfulness.  Please do not bury me in Egypt, but when I lie down with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.”  And he said, “I will do as you have said.” 

 

We likewise read of Joseph in Hebrews 11:22:  “By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.” 

 

We read of Moses in Deuteronomy 31:14:  “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, the time for you to die is near; call Joshua, and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, that I may commission him.”  So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting.”  We later read in the same chapter of the prophetic warning God gave Moses, the commission of Joshua, and the finishing of the writing of the law in the book by Moses.  In Deuteronomy Chapters 32 and 33, we read of the Song of Moses and the Blessing of Moses.  In Deuteronomy 34, we read of the obedience of Moses to go to the place where he would die and the view into the Promised Land and reaffirmation of that prophetic promise by God to Moses. 

 

We read of David in 1 Kings 2:1-4:  “As David’s time to die drew near, he charged Solomon his son, saying,  “I am going the way of all the earth.  Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man.  Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn, so that the Lord may carry out His promise which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons are careful of their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’” 

 

We read of Jesus in Matthew 26:18:  “And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near;  I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.”’” 

 

We read of the exhortation to all of us that we should love our neighbor and “behave properly” because the time is near.  “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep;  for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.  The night is almost gone, and the day is near.  Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”  Romans 13:11-14. 

 

In conclusion, as we start reading the book of Revelation, let us take seriously the words that “the time is near”.  Let us not be deterred by some of the disturbing and puzzling vivid and figurative language of Revelation.  Rather, let us be encouraged and motivated by the promised blessing.  “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it;  for the time is near.”  Verse 3.  Let us also be encouraged and motivated by the saints before us who received and made good prophecies and who made preparations in faith, believing that the “time is near”.

Today’s devotion comes from Jude 1:17-23.

 

“¹⁷ But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁸ that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.”  ¹⁹ These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.  ²⁰ But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.  ²² And have mercy on some, who are doubting;  ²³ save others, snatching them out of the fire;  and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

                                            

²⁴ 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, ²⁵ 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 1:17-23.

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We persevere.  Although “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.”, we persevere.

 

We build ourselves up on our most holy faith.  We pray in the Holy Spirit.  We keep ourselves in the love of God.  We wait anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We have mercy on some.  We save others.  Verses 20 through 23.

 

God preserves us.  “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.”  Verses 24 and 25.  

 

The juxtaposition of these two sections show in part why we sometimes call the Fifth Point of Calvinism:  “Perseverance of the Saints a/k/a Preservation of the Saints”, the “P” of “TULIP”.  We persevere, but the reason why we persevere is that God preserves us.

 

Here is what the Canons of Dordt, FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Perseverance of the Saints, state in part about our perseverance.

                                        

Article 11.  The Scripture moreover testifies, that believers in this life have to struggle with various carnal doubts, and that under grievous temptations they are not always sensible of this full assurance of faith and certainty of persevering.  But God, who is the Father of all consolation, does not suffer them to be tempted above that they are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that they may be able to bear it, I Corinthians 10:13, and by the Holy Spirit again inspires them with the comfortable assurance of persevering.

Article 12.  This certainty of perseverance, however, is so far from exciting in believers a spirit of pride, or of rendering them carnally secure, that on the contrary, it is the real source of humility, filial reverence, true piety, patience in every tribulation, fervent prayers, constancy in suffering, and in confessing the truth, and of solid rejoicing in God:  so that the consideration of this benefit should serve as an incentive to the serious and constant practice of gratitude and good works, as appears from the testimonies of Scripture, and the examples of the saints.

Article 13.  Neither does renewed confidence or persevering produce licentiousness, or a disregard to piety in those who are recovering from backsliding;  but it renders them much more careful and solicitous to continue in the ways of the Lord, which he hath ordained, that they who walk therein may maintain an assurance of persevering, lest by abusing his fatherly kindness, God should turn away his gracious countenance from them, to behold which is to the godly dearer than life:  the withdrawing thereof is more bitter than death, and they in consequence hereof should fall into more grievous torments of conscience.

Article 14.  And as it hath pleased God, by the preaching of the gospel, to begin this work of grace in us, so he preserves, continues, and perfects it by the hearing and reading of his Word, by meditation thereon, and by the exhortations, threatenings, and promises thereof, as well as by the use of the sacraments.

Article 15.  The carnal mind is unable to comprehend this doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, and the certainty thereof; which God hath most abundantly revealed in his Word, for the glory of his name, and the consolation of pious souls, and which he impresses upon the hearts of the faithful. Satan abhors it;  the world ridicules it;  the ignorant and hypocrite abuse, and heretics oppose it;  but the spouse of Christ hath always most tenderly loved and constantly defended it, as an inestimable treasure; and God, against whom neither counsel nor strength can prevail, will dispose her to continue this conduct to the end.  Now, to this one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, forever.  AMEN. 

Today’s devotion comes from Jude 1:11-16.

 

“¹¹ Woe to them!  For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.  ¹² These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves;  clouds without water, carried along by winds;  autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted;  ¹³ wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam;  wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.

 

¹⁴ It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, ¹⁵ to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”  ¹⁶ These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts;  they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.”  Jude 1:11-16.

 

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In summary, there are ungodly people who are without fruit, rebellious, “grumblers, finding fault, and followers of their own lusts”.  But, God is perfectly just and will “execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”  Verse 15.

 

                                   

“Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24.

A Psalm of Thanksgiving for God’s Justice.

Today’s devotion comes from Jude 1:5-10.

“⁵ Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.  ⁶ And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, ⁷ just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.

⁸ Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties.  ⁹ But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”  ¹⁰ But these men revile the things which they do not understand;  and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed.”  Jude 1:5-10.

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Today’s Scripture provides plenty of warnings of the ways of the wicked and the certain eternal punishment.

“A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless.”  Proverbs 14:16

Just in case, we only think today’s Scripture is just odd, here are further warnings.  Notice how similar the following 2 Peter 2:4-12 is to today’s Scripture.

“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;  and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;  and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter;  and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority.  Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord.  But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed,”  2 Peter 2:4-12.

Let us “turn aside from the snares of death”.  Let us avoid the “way of the treacherous”.  Let us be “prudent”.  Let us flee from “folly”.

“¹⁴ The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
To turn aside from the snares of death.
¹⁵ Good understanding produces favor,
But the way of the treacherous is hard.
¹⁶ Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
But a fool displays folly.”  Proverbs 13:14-16.

Let us pursue life.  Let us embrace godly living.  Let us fear the Lord.

“The path of life leads upward for the wise That he may keep away from Sheol below.”  Proverbs 15:24

Today’s devotion comes from Jude 1:1-4.

 

“¹ Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,

 

To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:  ² May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.

                                      

³ Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.  ⁴ For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”  Jude 1:1-4.

                                  

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What is “our common salvation”?  What is “the faith”?  What is “the grace of our God”?

Catholics and Protestants all talk about “our common salvation”, “the faith”, and “the grace of our God”.

Every Protestant denomination talks about “our common salvation”, “the faith”, and “the grace of our God”.

Very few persons who call themselves Christians deny salvation, faith, and grace.

But, we know there are big differences between what people describe as “our common salvation”, “the faith”, and “the grace of our God”.

Some believe by “our common salvation” that Christ died for everyone.

Some believe by “the faith” that anyone who has any kind of “beliefs” or even just general respect for “spirituality” has “the faith”.  

Some believe by “the grace of our God” that man’s free will determines who gets it.

But, our individual beliefs don’t dictate what is “our common salvation”, “the faith”, and “the grace of our God”.  Scripture dictates what it is.

We don’t throw all of our beliefs into one pot and the resulting stew is “our common salvation”, “the faith”, and “the grace of our God”.

There is Only One Cook in the Kitchen and that is God.  There is only one Recipe for “our common salvation”, “the faith”, and “the grace of our God”.  

So then, what is “our common salvation”?  What is “the faith”?  What is “the grace of our God”?

Scriptures shows that it is “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  “TULIP” stands for “Total Depravity”, “Unconditional Election”, “Limited Atonement”, “Irresistible Grace”, and “Preservation of the Saints (a/k/a “Perseverance of the Saints”).  And, that is why we need to contend earnestly for it and do so.

For a brief description of “TULIP”, here is a link – Click here: TULIP | Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

For a lengthier creed concerning it, here is a link – Click here: The Canons of Dordt

Today’s devotion comes from 3 John 1:9-15.

 

“⁹ I wrote something to the church;  but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say.  ¹⁰ For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words;  and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church.

 

¹¹ Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.  The one who does good is of God;  the one who does evil has not seen God.  ¹² Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself;  and we add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.

 

¹³ I had many things to write to you, but I am not willing to write them to you with pen and ink;  ¹⁴ but I hope to see you shortly, and we will speak face to face.

 

¹⁵ Peace be to you.  The friends greet you.  Greet the friends by name.”  3 John 1:9-15.

                       

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Diotrephes was bad.  Demetrius was good.  

We need to discipline the bad by name.  “For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does …”  Verse 10.

Discipline is one of the marks of the true church.

“… The marks, by which the true Church is known, are these:  if the pure doctrine of the gospel is preached therein;  if she maintains the pure administration of the sacraments as instituted by Christ;  if church discipline is exercised in punishing of sin:  in short, if all things are managed according to the pure Word of God, all things contrary thereto rejected, and Jesus Christ acknowledged as the only Head of the Church.  …”  Article 29 of the Belgic Confession.  Click here: The Belgic Confession of Faith

But, we also need to praise the good by name.  “Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself;  and we add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.”  Verse 12.

Today’s devotion comes from 3 John 1:5-8.

 

“⁵  Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers;  ⁶ and they have testified to your love before the church.  You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.  ⁷ For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.  ⁸ Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth.”  3 John 1:5-8.

 

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All of us are not missionaries.  All of us are not even preachers or other teachers.  But, we can support such men and women, and thereby be “fellow workers with the truth”.  Verse 8.

 

That should make us feel good.  Don’t you love it when you see someone particularly gifted and particularly eager for such work?!  By your support of them, you can be “fellow workers with the truth”.  

 

“As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.”  Psalm 16:3

 

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,”  Ephesians 2:19

 

“Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.”  Philippians 4:3

    

“and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith,”  1 Thessalonians 3:2

 

 

“Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly:  if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;  if service, in his serving;  or he who teaches, in his teaching;  or he who exhorts, in his exhortation;  he who gives, with liberality;  he who leads, with diligence;  he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

                                  

Let love be without hypocrisy.  Abhor what is evil;  cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love;  give preference to one another in honor;  not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;  rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.”  Romans 12:6-13.

                                 

“I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints;  and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.  For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.”  Philemon 1:4-7.

 

And, the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, Ingrid, my sister in Christ.

Today’s devotion comes from 3 John 1:1-4.

 

“¹The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.

 

² Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.  ³ For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth.  ⁴ I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.”  3 John 1:1-4.

 

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We may shake our head in agreement and also think:  “I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.”  We may spend quality time with our children at home careful to train them in the way that they should go.  We may take them to church.  We may send our children to Sunday School and Catechism.  We may send them to Christian schools.  We may even send them to Christian colleges.  These are all good things to do.

                                    

We may carefully think:  “What shall we do, so that we may cause our children to walk in the truth?”

                                   

We naturally focus on ourselves and think in terms of what we should do.  Likewise, the Jews asked Jesus:  “Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”  Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”  John 6:28-29. 

                                 

Later, “the Men of Israel”, when confronted with their collective guilt of crucifying Christ, asked what they should do.  “Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”  Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;  and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”  Acts 2:37-39.  

                                        

We spiritually need to first focus on God and think more in terms of what He has promised for our children whom “God will call to Himself” and what He has done for them and what He will do for them.  Although we should certainly do all that we can for our children to guide them in the truth, as we are specifically commanded to do and in addition as we can think to do, our hope and platform (spring board) for all action for our children is the promise of God.

                                

In conclusion, the following is a good article by Protestant Reformed Churches’ Professor David J. Engelsma titled “The Covenant of God and Children of Believers”  Click here: THE COVENANT OF GOD AND THE CHILDREN OF BELIEVERS