Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.”  Ephesians 5:6-14.

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Christ is the Light of the world.

“THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT, AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH, UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED.”  Matthew 4:16

“For my eyes have seen Your salvation, 
Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 
A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”  Luke 2:30-32.

“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.”  John 1:4

“There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.”  John 1:9

“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world;  he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”  John 8:12

“The LORD is righteous within her;  He will do no injustice.  Every morning He brings His justice to light;  He does not fail.  But the unjust knows no shame.”  Zephaniah 3:5 

“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.”  Romans 13:12

“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.  For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.  But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”  John 3:19-21.

“On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining.  The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now.  The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.  But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”  1 John 2:9-11.

In Heaven, we will be illumined by the Lord God, and there will no longer be any night.

³ But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 

⁴ and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 

⁵ For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”  Ephesians 5:1-5.

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The reason why we are able to be imitators of God is that we have this “new self” described in the prior chapter.  The “Therefore” in verse 1 is based on our “new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”  See Ephesians 4:24. 

We feel uneasy when we hear filthy jokes, because of this “new self”.  We should not quench that feeling of uneasiness, “and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.”  Verse 4. 

Do we want to be like the one who told the joke or like the One Who loved us and gave Himself up for us?

“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”  Colossians 1:13-14. 

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children”.

After being washed clean by Christ’s blood, do we want to return to the filth of immorality and impurity?

“For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.  For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.  It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”  2 Peter 2:20-22. 

“For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”  Verse 5.

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children”.

In our natural world, children imitate their parents.  How much more in the spiritual world should we children imitate our Father in Heaven?!  “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  Matthew 5:48

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;  and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”  Verses 1 and 2.

²⁷ and do not give the devil an opportunity.

²⁸ He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.

²⁹ Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

³⁰ Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

³¹ Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

³² Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”  Ephesians 4:24-32.

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Today’s Scripture provides practical advice on how to live the Christian life.  But, verse 24 is included to remind us that we are able to live out this righteous and holy life through “the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth”.  So, today’s Scripture is more of a “Therefore” of what we do based on “the new self”, rather than an independent list of things that we should do, or even can do, through our own strength, our own flesh. 

The new self speaks truth, because the new self has “been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth”.

The new self does not let the sun go down on its anger nor gives the devil an opportunity nor steals nor is bitter, wrathful, clamorous, slanderous, malicious, nor otherwise grieves the Holy Spirit of God, because the new self has “been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth”.

The new self edifies others, is kind to one another, tender-hearted, and forgives each other, because the new self has “been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth”.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”  Galatians 5:22-24.  “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”  Galatians 5:16. 

Even as good as it may be to have new tools to do what is right, there is something better.  Today’s Scripture teaches us that our new self was created “in the likeness of God”.  We do what is right, because of who we are:  “a new self” “conformed to the image of His Son”.  “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.”  Romans 8:29-30.

So, as we celebrate Easter today, let us view our “new self” as we imagine Christ stepping out of the death, decay, and darkness of that tomb into the dawn daylight and fresh air of that first Easter Sunday morning.  “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”  Romans 6:4

In summary, by faith, we “lay aside the old self”, and we “put on the new self” through “knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord”.  “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”  It is a faith, but it is not a blind faith.  It is a faith based on “knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord”.  It is a faith continually “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith …”  Hebrews 12:2.  

“BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.”  Hebrews 10:38

“But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.”  2 Thessalonians 2:13

“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.

⁹ (Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?

¹⁰ He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)

¹¹ And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,

¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;

¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

¹⁴ As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

¹⁵ but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,

¹⁶ from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.  Ephesians 4:7-16.

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Christ is in control.  Christ is the head of His body, His church.  Christ builds up His body by giving gifts “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service”.  From Christ, His whole body is fitted together and held together.  From Christ, His whole body grows “for the building up of itself in love”.  Today’s Scripture has God’s sovereignty written all over it.

In the true Church, we find these gifts of Christ.  In the true Church, we find apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors. and teachers.  In the true Church, we find fellow saints with whom we are fitted together and held together.  In the true Church, we are equipped for service.  In the true church, we all attain to the unity of the faith.  In the true Church, we all gain the knowledge of Christ to become mature, fully developed to the “measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ”. In the true Church, we are harbored and protected from being “tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine”.  In the true Church, we all grow “for the building up of itself in love”.  Today’s Scripture also has the importance of the true Church written all over it.

Through understanding these two points, God’s sovereignty and the importance of the true Church in mind, we can also better understand Article 28 of the Reformed Belgic Confession.

Article 28:  That every one is bound to join himself to the true Church.

We believe, since this holy congregation is an assembly of those who are saved, and that out of it there is no salvation, that no person of whatsoever state or condition he may be, ought to withdraw himself, to live in a separate state from it;  but that all men are in duty bound to join and unite themselves with it;  maintaining the unity of the Church;  submitting themselves to the doctrine and discipline thereof;  bowing their necks under the yoke of Jesus Christ;  and as mutual members of the same body, serving to the edification of the brethren, according to the talents God has given them.  And that this may be the more effectually observed, it is the duty of all believers, according to the word of God, to separate themselves from all those who do not belong to the Church, and to join themselves to this congregation, wheresoever God hath established it, even though the magistrates and edicts of princes were against it, yea, though they should suffer death or any other corporal punishment.  Therefore all those, who separate themselves from the same, or do not join themselves to it, act contrary to the ordinance of God.

So, what is “the true Church”?  Here is part of Article 29 of the Reformed Belgic Confession.   

Article 29:  Of the marks of the true Church, and wherein she differs from the false Church.

We believe, that we ought diligently and circumspectly to discern from the Word of God which is the true Church, since all sects which are in the world assume to themselves the name of the Church.  But we speak not here of hypocrites, who are mixed in the Church with the good, yet are not of the Church, though externally in it;  but we say that the body and communion of the true Church must be distinguished from all sects, who call themselves the 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.  Hereby the true Church may certainly be known, from which no man has a right to separate himself. …”