Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s Scripture teaches the Reformed Doctrine Sola Fide (Faith Alone) “that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus”.  Sola Fide (Faith Alone) is one of “The Five Solas” of the Reformation.  (For further explanation of “The Five Solas“, see the tag on top of my web site.) 

That precious point is continually under attack whether it be by the hypocrisy of Cephas (Peter) and the rest of the Jews in the beginning (as we read in today’s Scripture) or by those in the Roman Catholic Church that the Reformers refuted during the Protestant Reformation or by those current preachers and teachers today who directly teach the Federal Vision or indirectly teach that we are justified by faith and works without any label. 

And, before we of the Reformed faith get too smug, we too often live self-righteously as if we are justified by faith and works.  We take pride in our perceived standing in the church based on our works.  We also don’t quite trust faith alone in Christ;  we want some “salvation insurance” by our works.

We need to continually be on guard. 

“Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;  for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,  although I (Paul) myself might have confidence even in the flesh.  If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:  circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews;  as to the Law, a Pharisee;  as to zeal, a persecutor of the church;  as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,”  Philippians 3:2-9. 

We are called to not only believe in Sola Fide (Faith Alone), but we are also called to live our lives accordingly,  “straightforward about the truth of the gospel”. 

“For you were called to freedom, brethren;  only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”  But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”  Galatians 5:13-16.

And so, we live our lives “straightforward” by “faith alone” and “walk by the Spirit” trusting the Spirit to produce love, joy, peace, and other fruit of the Spirit.  We do not alienate new Christians, standing aloof in our self-righteousness, but we patiently teach them Reformed Doctrine so that they too will trust God and patiently wait for the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith in Christ.

1 Corinthians 16:13
“Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

¹³ For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it;  ¹⁴ and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. ¹⁵ But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, ¹⁷nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me;  but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.  Galatians 1:10-17.

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Consistent with the fact that Reformed Doctrine maintains that the gospel is all about the work of God alone through grace alone from “Unconditional Election” through “Limited Atonement” through “Irresistible Grace” through “Perseverance of the Saints better known as Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism a/k/a the Reformed Doctrine of salvation, Paul emphasizes in today’s Scripture that the gospel was not received from man but was received from God “through the revelation of Jesus Christ”.  Paul emphasizes that point by contrasting “black with white”:  the “black” of Paul’s “former manner of life” persecuting the church with the “white” of God setting Paul apart even from his birth to call him through His grace to reveal and preach Jesus. 

Reformed Doctrine also contrasts the “black with white”:  the “black” of man’s “Total Depravity” with the “white” of God’s work of salvation as stated above.

Comparing Arminianism with Calvinism, Arminanism emphasizes what man provides while Calvinism emphasizes what God provides.  Arminianism emphasizes that man provides (alleged) “free will” choice of Christ, whereas Calvinism emphasizes that God provides “Unconditional Election”.  Arminianism emphasizes that man provides the wisdom and willpower to live the Christian life, whereas Calvinism provides the “Irresistible Grace” to live the Christian life.  Arminianism emphasizes that man provides perseverance to the end, whereas Calvinism emphasizes that God provides “Preservation of the Saints” to the end.

Here is how the Reformed Confession The Belgic Confession defines the gospel.      

Article 22:  Of Faith in Jesus Christ.

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.

Using the language of The Belgic Confession, for any alleged gospel 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”.

Here is how the Reformed Confession The Heidelberg Catechism defines the gospel.     

Question 30.  Do such then believe in Jesus the only Savior, who seek their salvation and welfare of saints, of themselves, or anywhere else?

Answer.  They do not;  for though they boast of him in words, yet in deeds they deny Jesus the only deliverer and Savior;  for one of these two things must be true, that either Jesus is not a complete Savior;  or that they, who by a true faith receive this Savior, must find all things in him necessary to their salvation.  

Using the language of The Heidelberg Catechism for any alleged gospel to assert “Jesus is not a complete Savior” or that “all things in him necessary to their salvation” are not in Christ is to show that they really do not believe in Jesus as their only Savior, but rather that they depend on their salvation on something that they themselves provide or that something else provides.  

“For who regards you as superior?  What do you have that you did not receive?  And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”  1 Corinthians 4:7