Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 24, 2012

Pure respect. Pure gentleness. Pure love.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Timothy 5:1-2.
 
“Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.”  1 Timothy 5:1-2.
 
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Pure respect.  Pure gentleness.  Pure love.  Today’s devotion calls for such pure respect, pure gentleness, and pure love in our treatment of others, particularly in the church. 
 
Although today’s Scripture specifically commands us to “not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father”, it does not mean that we are free to sharply rebuke an older woman.
 
And, although we might be inclined to reserve pure respect and pure gentleness for our treatment of older men and older women, and our elders are indeed entitled to such respect and gentleness (Leviticus 19:32 and Lamentations 5:12), when we treat the younger men as brothers and the younger women as sisters, we are showing them respect and gentleness and love as well.
 
The following Scriptures focus on gentleness and how we should show gentleness to all.  But, we can certainly see how these Scriptures also include respect and love for all as well. 
 
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.”
 
Matthew 5:5
“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.”
 
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 4:22-23. 
 
“Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness;  each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.”
 
“Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”  Ephesians 4:1-3.
 
Philippians 4:5
“Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.”
 
Colossians 3:12
“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;”
 
1 Thessalonians 2:7
“But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.”
 
“An overseer (elder), then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.”  1 Timothy 3:2-3.
 
1 Timothy 6:11
“But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.”
 
“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,   with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,”  2 Timothy 2:24-25.
 
“Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.”  Titus 3:1-2. 
 
“Who among you is wise and understanding?  Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.”
 
James 3:17
“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.”
 
1 Peter 3:15
“but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;”

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 23, 2012

“Mind your P’s and Q’s”

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Timothy 4:11-16.
 
“11 Prescribe and teach these things.  12  Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.  13  Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.  14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the  presbytery.  15 Take pains with these things;  be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.  16  Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching;  persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.”  1 Timothy 4:11-16.
 
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Today’s Scripture reminds me of the expression:  “Mind your P’s and Q’s”.  In summary of today’s Scripture, verse 16 states:  “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things”.  Click here: Mind your Ps and Qs – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia  It is also interesting how many commands and other words in today’s Scripture start with the letter “P”. 

First, we see the command:  “Prescribe and teach these things.”  Verse 11.  Prescribe is defined in part as “to lay down a rule : dictate“.  Click here: Prescribe – Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary  Timothy may have been a little shy, so Paul wanted to encourage and exhort Timothy to be bold and to lay down rules and teach with authority.  “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.”  Verse 12.  We too need to be careful in our speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, so that each of us is a good example to those who believe.
 
Second, we see the command:  “give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.”  Verse 13.  This is similar to the first command, but it emphasizes the central role of Scripture in teaching.  Do we read Scripture at length, and quote Scripture often, in our teaching?  Or, do we just select a verse and get carried away with worldly fables or our own thoughts?  
 
Third, we see the command:  “Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you”.  Verse 14.  It is not always laziness which causes us to neglect the spiritual gift within us.  Sometimes, we try to do too much.  Sometimes, we are influenced too much by peer pressure, or even self-righteousness, to do good things when we only have time to do the best things which are in accordance with our spiritual gifts.
 
Fourth, we see the command:  “Take pains with these things;  be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.”  Verse 15.  We need to be fully committed and attentive to the details to the extent that we are “absorbed in them”, some may say “obsessed” with them.  We don’t “dabble” as in play around or splash around in shallow water.  So to speak, we dive in with scuba gear and stay in the deep water until the mission is complete. 
 
Fifth, we see the summary command:  “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching;  persevere in these things”.  “Mind your P’s and Q’s”.
 
So, what is the purpose? 
 
The purpose is “for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.”  Verse 16.
 
What is God’s good pleasure?
 
“So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;  for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:12-13.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 22, 2012

A Fixed Hope on God

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Timothy 4:6-10.
 
“6 In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.  7 But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women.  On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;  8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.  9  It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance.  10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.”  1 Timothy 4:6-10.
 
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We feed on the “words of faith”, and live by faith, by recognizing the inability of the Law to make us righteous.  We ponder why we are no longer under the Law, even made dead to the Law.  “Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident;  for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.”  Galatians 3:11.  “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. 
 
We feed on “sound doctrine” by recognizing the importance of doctrine generally and then Reformed Doctrine specifically.  We read not only Scripture, but we read the creeds such as:
We cross reference not only other Scriptures but also other creeds to better understand Scripture.
 
We “discipline” ourselves “for the purpose of godliness” by having daily devotions and by otherwise seeking to do all that we do for the glory of God.  We imitate our Faithful Father;  “… The lovingkindness of God endures all day long.”  Psalm 52:1
 
“We have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior”, by focusing on God and what He has done and by trusting God to provide everything that we need for salvation from “Unconditional Election” to “Limited Atonement” to “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. 
 
In summary, this fixed hope on God is also “words of faith”, also “sound doctrine”, and also a “discipline for the purpose of godliness”. 

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 20, 2012

We Glorify God by our Gratitude, our Service, and our Enjoyment

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Timothy 4:1-5.
 
“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.  For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude;  for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.”   1 Timothy 4:1-5.
 
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“Thank You for this food;  bless it to our bodies.”, we pray in recognition of today’s Scripture.  But, our gratitude and prayer for blessing is much broader.
 
“Thank You for our bodies;  bless them for service to You.”, we also pray in recognition of today’s Scripture.  But, our gratitude and prayer for blessing is even still much broader.
 
“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.”  1 Timothy 6:17
 
“And wine which makes man’s heart glad, So that he may make his face glisten with oil, And food which sustains man’s heart.”  Psalm 104:15
 
Food may strengthen us for service to God, but wine makes us recognize that God wants us to enjoy Him as well as serve Him.  We glorify God not only by our service to Him but also by our enjoyment of Him.  
 
“in everything give thanks;  for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  1 Thessalonians 5:18
 
We are grateful for all things which God richly supplied us, but we are also grateful for God Himself.   
 
We pray that we may glorify God by not only all our service to Him, but we also pray that we may glorify God by all our enjoyment of what God has provided for us. 
 
We pray that we may serve our LORD, but we also pray that we may enjoy our Faithful Father. 
 
We are reminded of Question and Answer 1 of Westminister Larger Catechism:
                           

Question 1:  What is the chief and highest end of man?

Answer:  Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 19, 2012

Common Confessions a/k/a Creeds

Today’s devotion is 1 Timothy 3:14-16.
 
“I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long;  but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.  By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness:
                                 

He who was revealed in the flesh,
Was vindicated in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Proclaimed among the nations,
Believed on in the world,
Taken up in glory.”  1 Timothy 3:14-16.

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Our Common Confessions a/k/a Creeds are important.  We can better understand their importance in today’s Scripture.

First, “in case I am delayed”, Paul wanted to set forth a common confession for Timothy.  We may have our minister absent;  it may be good and safe for another teaching elder, to stick to a common confession as a subject matter for a sermon or other teaching opportunity.  Likewise, when we are alone for our own private study, common confession can be a good and safe subject for study. 

Second, a common confession can teach us “how one ought to conduct himself”.  

Third, along with the church, a common confession” is “the pillar and support of the truth”.

Fourth, godliness is a “mystery” to some extent, and common confession can help us better understand godliness.  Rev. Ronald Hanko, in his article “A Plea for Creeds”, states the importance of doctrine and creeds.  Rev. Hanko quotes Presbyterian author, G.I. Williamson:

The Bible contains a great wealth of information.  It isn’t easy to master it all – in fact, no one has ever mastered it completely.  It would therefore be foolish for us to try to do it on our own, starting from scratch.  We would be ignoring all the study of the Word of God that other people have done down through the centuries.  That is exactly why we have creeds.  They are the product of many centuries of Bible study by a great company of believers.  They are a kind of spiritual “road map” of the teaching of the Bible, already worked out and proved by others before us.  

Rev. Hanko’s article, “A Plea for Creeds”, can be read in full in its original format at the following link – http://www.prca.org/articles/plea_for_creeds.html   

Fifth, a “common confession” is common between believers.  The quote of Presbyterian author, G.I. Williamson continues:  “… an accurate creed binds the generations together.  It reminds us that the church of Jesus Christ is not confined to one age, just as it is not confined to any one place.  In other words, there is a unity in what Christians have believed, right down through the ages.  Just think of it: when we confess our faith together . . . we join with all those believers who have gone before us. Does not this demonstrate that there is indeed just one Lord and one true faith? (p. 3).”  (Emphasis added.)

In conclusion, the following link provided by the Protestant Reformed Churches brings you to a good sample of common confessions a/k/a creeds – Click here: Literature  I also “copied and pasted” from this site a few of the them, so you can access them more directly and quickly through one link, but you should check out the more comprehensive link above as well.

Early Church Creeds

Here is a link to the Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics web site which contains Westminister Larger Catechism – Click here: Historic Church Documents at Reformed.org

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 18, 2012

Deacons and Our Hope for Dignity

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Timothy 3:8-13.
 
“Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.  These men must also first be tested;  then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.  Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things.  Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and  good managers of their children and their own households.  For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.”  1 Timothy 3:8-13.
 
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Dignity is defined in part as “the quality or state of being worthy, honored, or esteemed” and “high rank, office, or position”.  Click here: Dignity – Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary
 
We see dignity or its equivalent three times in today’s Scripture.  Deacons must be “men of dignity“.  “Women likewise must be dignified“.  “For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.”
 
We see that God gave dignity to man in His creation of man.
 
“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 8:4-9.
 
We see that the “excellent wife” described in Proverbs 31:10-31 includes the quality of dignity.  “Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she smiles at the future.”  Proverbs 31:25
 
But, we are also aware of the depravity of human nature.  Here is what the Heidelberg Catechism states in part about it:  “Total Depravity” of man, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.   
 
Question 6.  Did God then create man so wicked and perverse?
 
Answer.  By no means;  but God created man good, and after his own image, in true righteousness and holiness, that he might rightly know God his Creator, heartily love him and live with him in eternal happiness to glorify and praise him. 
 
Question 7.  Whence then proceeds this depravity of human nature?
 
Answer.  From the fall and disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, in Paradise;  hence our nature is become so corrupt, that we are all conceived and born in sin. 
 
Question 8.  Are we then so corrupt that we are wholly incapable of doing any good, and inclined to all wickedness?
 
Answer.  Indeed we are;  except that we are regenerated by the Spirit of God.
 
 
Also, here is what the Canon of Dordt states in part about this depravity of human nature.
 
Article 1.  Man was originally formed after the image of God.  His understanding was adorned with a true and saving knowledge of his Creator, and of spiritual things;  his heart and will were upright;  all his affections pure;  and the whole man was holy;  but revolting from God by the instigation of the devil, and abusing the freedom of his own will, he forfeited these excellent gifts;  and on the contrary entailed on himself blindness of mind, horrible darkness, vanity and perverseness of judgment, became wicked, rebellious, and obdurate in heart and will, and impure in his affections.
 
But, there is hope!
 
Here is what the Canon of Dordt states in part about “Irresistible Grace” of God, the “I” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.
 

Article 11.  But when God accomplishes his good pleasure in the elect, or works in them true conversion, he not only causes the gospel to be externally preached to them, and powerfully illumines their minds by his Holy Spirit, that they may rightly understand and discern the things of the Spirit of God; but by the efficacy of the same regenerating Spirit, pervades the inmost recesses of the man; he opens the closed, and softens the hardened heart, and circumcises that which was uncircumcised, infuses new qualities into the will, which though heretofore dead, he quickens;  from being evil, disobedient and refractory, he renders it good, obedient, and pliable; actuates and strengthens it, that like a good tree, it may bring forth the fruits of good actions.

“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.
 
“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 1:6.
 
“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.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 17, 2012

A mother duck leading her ducklings, and an elder leading his church.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Timothy 3:1-7.
 
“It is a trustworthy statement:  if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.
 
2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
 
3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.
 
4 He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity
 
5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),
 
6 and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.
 
7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”  1 Timothy 3:1-7.
 
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It is hard enough to pass the overseer a/k/a elder test with just verses 2 and 3.  And then, you come to verse 4.  Who can keep his children under control with all dignity?!  I must admit that I have been jealous from time to time seeing some mother leading her children on a walk, and the children were all lined up walking in a perfect line and in perfect step like a mother duck leading her ducklings.    
 
And then to top it off, you come to verse 7.  You might be able to give a good enough impression on Sunday morning, but who can stand up to the observations of the rest of the world 24/7 for the rest of the week?!  
 
But, there is hope! 
 
Like God gave all that a mother duck needs to lead her ducklings, God can give all that his chosen elder needs to lead a church. 
 
Christ gave spiritual gifts.  “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;”  Ephesians 4:11-12.
 
None of us is perfect this side of heaven, but our Lord can make an elder’s way blameless enough to be an elder.
 
“For who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God,
The God who girds me with strength
And makes my way blameless?
He makes my feet like hinds’ feet,
And sets me upon my high places.”  Psalm 18:31-33.
 
“I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”  1 Corinthians 1:4-8.
 
“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.
 
“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.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 16, 2012

The Rainbow, Peace with God, and a Tranquil and Quiet Life

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Timothy 2:8-15.
 
“8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.
 
9 Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments,
 
10 but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.
                                             

11 A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.

12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.

13  For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve.

14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.

15 But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.”  1 Timothy 2:8-15.

————————

Today’s Scripture provides a continuing call for a tranquil and quiet life.  Today’s Scripture leads the men’s section (verse 8) with a “Therefore” and the women’s section (verses 9 through 15) with a “Likewise“, both of which refer to 1 Timothy 2:2-3:  “… so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.  This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,”  1 Timothy 2:2-3.

Namely, “Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension“.  Verse 8.  And, “Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, … by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.  … A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.  But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.”  Verses 9 through 12.

Yesterday, Sunday, I saw a full beautiful rainbow extending from horizon to horizon.  Through it, I felt God showing me peace.  “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand;  and we exult in hope of the glory of God.”  Romans 5:1-2. 

But, “There is no peace for the wicked,” says the LORD.”  Isaiah 48:22  See also Isaiah 57:21.

So, let us not whine about our respective duties, but rather, let our behavior be consistent with the peace that God gives us, and as Paul specifically states, “without wrath and dissension”, but rather by good works as is proper for those making a claim to godliness, “in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.”

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 15, 2012

Wheat, Tares, “Allow both to grow together until the harvest”.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Timothy 2:1-7.
 
“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.  This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.  For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.”  1 Timothy 2:1-7.
 
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Does God desire all men to be saved, in the sense of every person who ever lived or in the sense of every one of His elect?
 
When we look at the context of this phrase “who desires all men to be saved“, we see other uses of the word “all” that lead us to conclude that Paul was “all” to refer to a group of men rather than to every single possible man who ever lived.  
 
First, in today’s Scripture, Paul urges “entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,”.  Is Paul urging us to pray for every person?  No, the context is important.  Paul is referring to prayer “for kings and all who are in authority”.
 
Second, in today’s Scripture, we see “Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all“.  If one would maintain that God desire all men to be saved, in the sense of every person who ever lived, then that person would also have to maintain that Christ gave Himself as a ransom for every person who ever lived, in order to be consistent. 
 
We recognize that there are some who do actually believe that Christ gave Himself as a ransom for every person who ever lived, but it is a point a lot harder to defend. 
 
The purpose of this daily devotion is not to give a full defense to the point that Christ died only for the elect which is called “Limited Atonement”, the “L” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  Rather, the purpose of this devotion is to identify this and issue and point out just three of my insights today (two within today’s Scripture and one from another Scripture) which indicate that when Paul was referring to “all men”, he was referring to all of the elect, rather than to every person who ever lived.
 
For a fuller treatment, I refer to the article “Limited Atonement” by Rev. G Van Baren.  This article also considers verses which also use the words “all” and “world.”  Here is a link to it – Click here: Limited Atonement  For more on this issue, there is an article “Does God Really Desire to Save the Reprobate” by Rev. Angus Stewart.  Here is a link to it – Click here: Does God Really Desire to Save the Reprobate?    
 
Third, there is Jesus’ parable of wheat and tares to show that God’s concern is for the wheat, not the tares.  It also helps illustrate that prayers for kings and all who are in authority, is not a concern for peace for all men, the wicked and the righteous, but rather that “we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity“.  Verse 2.         
 
“Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.  But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.  But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.  The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field?  How then does it have tares?’  And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’  The slaves *said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’  But he said, ‘No;  for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them.  Allow both to grow together until the harvest;  and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up;  but gather the wheat into my barn.”  Matthew 13:24-30.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 13, 2012

“Fight the good fight” with weapons of spiritual warfare divinely powerful.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Timothy 1:18-19.
 
“This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.  Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.”  1 Timothy 1:18-19.
 
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By Scripture, by our own spiritual gifts, by the full armor of God, and by the power of God, we fight the good fight.
 
We fight the good fight with Scripture “in the word of truth, in the power of God;  by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,”  2 Corinthians 6:7.  The sword of the Spirit is “the word of God”.  Ephesians 6:17. 
 
We fight the good fight with our own spiritual gifts.  Paul exhorted Timothy:  “Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.  Take pains with these things;  be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.  Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching;  persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.”  1 Timothy 4:14-16. 
 
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.  There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.  But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”  1 Corinthians 12:4-7.
 
We fight the good fight with the full armor of God.  “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.  Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”  Ephesians 6:10-17.
 
We fight the good fight with the power of God.  “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.  We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.”  2 Corinthians 10:3-6.

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