Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Philippians 3:17-21. 

 

“Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.  For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.

 

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;  who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”  Philippians 3:17-21. 

 

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“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”  Colossians 3:2-4. 

 

We follow Abraham’s example of faith, looking forward to heaven.  “By faith he (Abraham) lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;  for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”  Hebrews 11:9-10.  Others too, follow in faith, looking forward to heaven.  “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God;  for He has prepared a city for them.”  Hebrews 11:16.

 

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

 

Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!  But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. 

 

Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation;  just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.”  2 Peter 3:11-16.

                                     

Today’s devotion comes from Philippians 3:12-16.

 

“¹² Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

 

¹³ Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet;  but one thing I do:  forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,

 

¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

 

¹⁵ Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude;   and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;

 

¹⁶ however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.”  Philippians 3:12-16.

 

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“I press on” is mentioned twice in today’s Scripture.  Verse 12 and 14.  And, although Paul recognizes God’s sovereignty “for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus”, he is intent to “press on”. 

 

We remember the last chapter.  “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.   

 

Yes, there is election.  But, God wants us to work.  He gives us the will to work;  He works within us;  He even created the good works that we are to do;  but, he wants us to work and “press on”.

 

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize?  Run in such a way that you may win.  Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things.  They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.  Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim;  I box in such a way, as not beating the air;  but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”  1 Corinthians 9:24-27.

 

God wants us to be diligent and practice good moral qualities.  “Now for this very reason (God’s promises and provisions) also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.  Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you;  for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;  for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.”  2 Peter 1:5-11.

 

And so, we “press on”, and run the race, but we are careful to fix our eyes on Jesus as we run the race.  “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  Hebrews 12:1-2.

 

There is also this hope:  “and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you”.  Verse 15.

 

Finally, let us make progress.  Through God’s grace, we achieve standards.  Let us not just relax, stay put, and just go through the motions.  Rather, let us use those standards as “stepping stones” to “press on” and make progress.  “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.  Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet;  but one thing I do:  forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  Verses 12 through 14.

Today’s devotion comes from Philippians 3:8-11.

 

“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, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;  in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”  Philippians 3:8-11. 

 

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The surpassing value of knowing Christ is like a treasure hidden in the field or a pearl of great value.  In comparison, everything else is “rubbish”.  “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again;  and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”  Matthew 13:44-46.

 

Today’s devotion comes from Philippians 3:2-7.

 

“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 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.”  Philippians 3:2-7.

 

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Even Paul with all of his advantages and accomplishments according to the flesh, put no confidence in the flesh.  He warns us to beware of those false preachers and teachers who try to lead us astray to trust our own flesh (our own ability) rather than to totally trust God. 

 

These false preachers and teachers seem pious on the outside, and they want us to trust them, so they can boast that we are their disciples.  “For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.”  Galatians 6:13 

 

These false preachers and teachers will use the Law to try to get us to depend on them and to just try harder (according to the flesh).  Even a little of this false teaching is dangerous.  “A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.”  Galatians 5:9.  

 

“Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision”.  Paul is so strong in his condemnation of these false preachers and teachers that he concludes:  “I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.”  Galatians 5:12.

 

 

“Are you so foolish?  Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?  Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?  So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”  Galatians 3:3-5.

 

 

“⁵ Thus says the LORD,
“Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind
And makes flesh his strength,
And whose heart turns away from the LORD.
⁶ “For he will be like a bush in the desert
And will not see when prosperity comes,
But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness,
A land of salt without inhabitant.
⁷ “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD
And whose trust is the LORD.
⁸ “For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.”  Jeremiah 17:5-8.

 

“Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation, is our axe to chop down the tree of confidence in the flesh.  The following three articles from the Canons of Dordt teach this total depravity, this inability of the flesh to produce righteousness either independently or even through the assistance of the Law (“the decalogue”, the Ten Commandments), and the work of God “by the operation of the Holy Spirit” to save us.

                                   

Article 3.  Therefore all men are conceived in sin, and by nature children of wrath, incapable of saving good, prone to evil, dead in sin, and in bondage thereto, and without the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit, they are neither able nor willing to return to God, to reform the depravity of their nature, nor to dispose themselves to reformation.

Article 5.  In the same light are we to consider the law of the decalogue, delivered by God to his peculiar people the Jews, by the hands of Moses.  For though it discovers the greatness of sin, and more and more convinces man thereof, yet as it neither points out a remedy, nor imparts strength to extricate him from misery, and thus being weak through the flesh, leaves the transgressor under the curse, man cannot by this law obtain saving grace.

Article 6.  What therefore neither the light of nature, nor the law could do, that God performs by the operation of the Holy Spirit through the word or ministry of reconciliation: which is the glad tidings concerning the Messiah, by means whereof, it hath pleased God to save such as believe, as well under the Old, as under the New Testament.

Today’s devotion comes from Philippians 2:19-30.  Here is a link to the entire Scripture followed by a quote of the verses on which we will focus.

 

 

“¹⁹ But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition.

 

²⁰ For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.

 

²¹ For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.

 

²² But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. 

 

…

 

²⁵ But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need;

 

²⁶ because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.

 

…

 

²⁹ Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard;

 

³⁰ because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me.”

 

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Earlier in this chapter, Paul instructed us:  “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;  do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”  Philippians 2:3-4.  Here in today’s Scripture, he praises Timothy and Epaphroditus as examples of those who were genuinely concerned with the welfare of others.    “Receive him (Epaphroditus) then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard”.  Verse 29. 

 

I am blessed to have a friend like that.  He calls me to “check up on me”.  He does not only look out for his own interests, but he also looks out for my interests.  He is genuinely concerned about my welfare.  He deserves my welcome, respect, and high regards.  There are those whom you know who do likewise for you.  They deserve your welcome, respect, and high regards.  In a word, we should encourage them. 

 

Deuteronomy 3:28
“But charge Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him, for he shall go across at the head of this people, and he will give them as an inheritance the land which you will see.’”

 

1 Samuel 23:16
“And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God.”

 

2 Chronicles 35:2
“He set the priests in their offices and encouraged them in the service of the house of the LORD.”

 

Acts 18:27
“And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him;  and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace,”

 

1 Corinthians 16:12
“But concerning Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with the brethren;  and it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity.”

 

Colossians 4:11
“and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me.”

 

1 Thessalonians 5:11
“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.”

 

Hebrews 3:13
“But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

Today’s devotion comes from Philippians 2:14-18.

 

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing;  so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.  But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.  You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.”  Philippians 2:14-18.

 

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The theme of today’s Scripture is “holding fast the word of life”.  Our first impression is that this is a duty, which it is, but there is also great joy in “holding fast the word of life”.  My first emotion in my research for this devotion was great joy, when in checking cross references, I “discovered” the following gold nugget.

 

“³ “For I proclaim the name of the LORD;
Ascribe greatness to our God!
⁴ “The Rock!  His work is perfect,
For all His ways are just;
A God of faithfulness and without injustice,
Righteous and upright is He.”  Deuteronomy 32:3-4.

 

There is a freshness to the word of life that is new each day.  There is a pleasant aroma to the word of life.  The word of life is like freshly baked bread.  “…  Feed my lambs.  …  Feed my sheep.  …  Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”  John 21:15-17 (KJV).  We hold fast to the word of life. 

 

The word of life has supreme value like gold, but the word of life is even more precious than gold.  “The law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of gold and silver pieces.”  Psalm 119:72  We hold fast to the word of life.   

 

The word of life is also our light.  It is like our flashlight.  How can we go into a dark world without it?!  “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”  Psalm 119:105  We hold fast to the world of life.

 

Today’s devotion comes from Philippians 2:12-13.

 

“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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It is awesome that God is at work in you.  So, live out your life with that sense of awe.  In other words, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”.  Verse 12.  This certainly does not mean that we focus on ourselves and our own works, but rather it means that our whole life should be a reverential worship to God, because we realize that the Almighty God of the universe is at work within us.  “Worship the LORD with reverence And rejoice with trembling.”  Psalm 2:11.

 

From the beginning to the end of our lives, Christ is “the author and perfecter of faith”.  Hebrews 12:2.  Because we fix our eyes on Jesus, we recognize, remember, trust God’s work within us, live out our lives in worship to God with reverence, and rejoice.  “Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones;  And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.”  Psalm 32:11.

 

In the beginning, God created us for good works.  “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10. 

 

Also, in the beginning, God made us alive:  “even when we were dead in our transgressions, (God) made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,”  Ephesians 2:5.

 

In the “middle”, today’s Scripture teaches us that “God … is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Verse 13.

 

Toward the end, God will perfect His work within us.  “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.

 

In conclusion, the whole process of God’s work from beginning to end is described in Romans 8:29-30.  “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;  and these whom He predestined, He also called;  and these whom He called, He also justified;  and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”  Awesome!  

Today’s devotion comes from Philippians 2:3-11.

 

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;  do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.  Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  Philippians 2:3-11.

 

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There is superficial instruction that we can glean from today’s Scripture about humility that will help “the interests of others”.  But, there is much deeper and more valuable insight provided by today’s Scripture as to the interest of God, and which must also make us conclude that it is also our own personal interest and the interest of others.  The purpose of today’s Scripture is not primarily that we honor others such as let them eat first.

 

The interest of God is clearly that Jesus Christ be exalted and that “at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

 

Psalm 2:11-12 spells out that this is also our own personal interest and the interest of others. 

^“11 Worship the LORD with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
¹² Do homage to the Son (Jesus Christ), that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”

 

Luke 10:42
“but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

 

Mark 8:36
“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?”

 

 

And, what leads to the fulfillment of the interest of God, the interest of us, and the interest of others?  Humility!

 

 

And what is more humbling then “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation?!

 

What exalts Christ more?  A god who bows to the alleged “free-will” of man?  Or, a sovereign God Who perfectly and totally accomplishes all of His good pleasure and “triumphs in Christ”?

 

Which sound doctrine best teaches this truth and best glorifies Christ?  Reformed Doctrine! 

 

Article 18.  To those who murmur at the free grace of election, and just severity of reprobation, we answer with the apostle:  “Nay, but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God?”  Romans 9:20, and quote the language of our Savior:  “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own?”  Matthew 20:15.  And therefore with holy adoration of these mysteries, we exclaim in the words of the apostle:  “O the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counselor?  or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?  For of him, and through him, and to him are all things:  to whom be glory for ever. – Amen.”  The Canons of Dordt (quoting Romans 11:33-36 at the end of the article).

 

“To God alone, be the glory!”  Soli Deo Gloria of The Five Solas of the Reformation.

Today’s devotion comes from Philippians 2:1-2.

 

“¹ Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,

 

² make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.”  Philippians 2:1-2.

 

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Today’s Scripture is a little difficult to understand, because of the order of the two verses.  The natural tendency is to put the focus on the first verse.  But, I think we will better understand today’s Scripture by putting the focus on the second verse. 

 

In other words, if we are “of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose”, then there will be produced:  encouragement in Christ, consolation of love, fellowship of the Spirit, affection and compassion, and Paul’s joy will be made complete.

 

This order of focus is consistent with continuing the unity theme of yesterday’s Scripture as we read at the end of the previous chapter.  “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”  Philippians 1:27.

 

What would this unity look like?  We know it would be of “the same mind”, “the same love”, “united in spirit”, and “one purpose”.

 

 

 

 

 

The Protestant Reformed Churches have struggled with this issue.  And, I have been critical of them at times.  But, I keep on coming back to their position.  It deserves to at least be considered. 

 

The Protestant Reformed Churches base their unity, at least what they believe and do, in their three Reformed Confessions:  The Heidelberg Catechism, The Belgic Confession, and The Canons of Dordrecht.  They call them collectively “The Three Forms of Unity”.

 

But, the Protestant Reformed Churches also believe that there is a more important unity based on what God did.  Here is an article by Rev. Angus Stewart, a PRC minister, titled “The Unity of the Church“.  Here is the concluding paragraph in the article followed by a link to the whole article.