Article 8. For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of his Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation: that is, it was the will of God, that Christ by the blood of the cross, whereby he confirmed the new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation, and given to him by the Father; that he should confer upon them faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he purchased for them by his death; should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing; and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the enjoyment of glory in his own presence forever.
“your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God”
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“Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption”
“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”
“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
“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,”
“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
“He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.”
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“God has chosen”
“For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.”
“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”
“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”
“For the LORD your God has chosen him and his sons from all your tribes, to stand and serve in the name of the LORD forever.”
“O seed of Israel His servant, Sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!”
“but I have chosen Jerusalem that My name might be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’”
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.”
“I have made a covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant,”
“O seed of Abraham, His servant, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!”
“He sent Moses His servant, And Aaron, whom He had chosen.”
“And He brought forth His people with joy, His chosen ones with a joyful shout.”
“That I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones, That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, That I may glory with Your inheritance.”
“For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation.”
“For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His own possession.”
“But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Descendant of Abraham My friend,”
“You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its remotest parts And said to you, ‘You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you.”
“Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations.”
“But now listen, O Jacob, My servant, And Israel, whom I have chosen:”
“Thus says the LORD who made you And formed you from the womb, who will help you, ‘Do not fear, O Jacob My servant; And you Jeshurun whom I have chosen.”
“For the sake of Jacob My servant, And Israel My chosen one, I have also called you by your name; I have given you a title of honor Though you have not known Me.”
“Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and its Holy One, To the despised One, To the One abhorred by the nation, To the Servant of rulers, “Kings will see and arise, Princes will also bow down, Because of the LORD who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen You.”
“I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, And an heir of My mountains from Judah; Even My chosen ones shall inherit it, And My servants will dwell there.”
“You only have I chosen among all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”
“‘On that day,’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’” declares the LORD of hosts.”
“BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN; MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL is WELL-PLEASED; I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES.”
“For many are called, but few are chosen.”
“Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!”
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”
“You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”
“But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;”
“for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls,”
“In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice.”
“What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened;”
“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;”
“knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;”
“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.”
“For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.”
“Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,”
“Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen”
“And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,”
“For this is contained in Scripture: “BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”
“But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”
“These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.”
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“the world through its wisdom did not come to know God”
AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.”
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Man is proud of his wisdom. He is proud of his wisdom to do good works which wise works he thinks deserves salvation. He is even proud of his wisdom to decide to accept Christ which wise “free-will” decision he thinks deserves salvation.
We see this pride in Naaman, a general in the Syrian army, “a great man”, “highly respected”, and a “valiant warrior”. Naaman had leprosy and sought out Elisha in Israel to be healed.
“So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha. Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.”
But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.’ Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.
Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, “My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean.” 2 Kings 5:9-14.
Stories like this one in the Old Testament were written for our benefit to help us understand that we do not come to salvation through our own wisdom, but rather, we come to salvation through what appears to some as foolishness.
God will not share even one percent credit for man’s salvation with man. Man’s works do not earn any credit. Man’s “free-will” does not earn any credit. Man’s wisdom does not earn any credit. “So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” Romans 9:16. God gets all the credit for man’s salvation.
“so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.” 1 Corinthians 1:29-31.
“Unconditional Election”, “Limited Atonement”, “Irresistible Grace”, and “Preservation of the Saints” (the U-L-I-P of “TULIP”) appear as foolishness to some, “but to us who are being saved it is the power of God”. These are all “His doing“.
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Two Cures for Divisions in the Church
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The Gospel: The Power of God for Salvation
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“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16.
The Gospel is the power of God for salvation.
It is the power of God to unconditionally elect. (The “U” of “TULIP).
It is the power of God to effectively atone for every sin of those limited elect so as to effectively redeem every single one of those limited elect. (The “L” of “TULIP).
It is the power of God irresistiblably draw every single one of the elect to salvation. (The “I” of “TULIP).
It is the power of God to preserve every single one of His elect to salvation. (The “P” of “TULIP).
It is the power to enrich the saints with everything.
It is the power to give every good gift.
It is the power to confirm the saints to the end, blameless.
The Gospel is the power of God for salvation. The Gospel is Good News!
The gospel of the Arminians is not power.
The free-will of man is not power.
Shedding blood for everybody, but not guaranteeing salvation for any one is not power. Just waiting for man and seeing what man will do in response is not power.
Resistable grace is not power.
The possibility of fall from grace dependent on the free-will of man is not power.
The gospel of the Arminians dependent on the free-will and ability of man is not power nor is it good news.
Why then are those who are embarrassed by “TULIP”?
Why then do they treat “TULIP” as if it is just another doctrine?
Why then do they fail to preach and teach it as if it does not really matter?
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16.
And, we see the Scripture for today reminding us of this power of God for salvation which enrich the saints with everything, which gives every good gift, and which confirms the saints to the end, blameless.
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“Now to Him who is able to establish you … be the glory forever.”
I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.” Psalm 91:14.
But all the wicked He will destroy.” Psalm 145:20.
The LORD preserves the faithful
And fully recompenses the proud doer.” Psalm 31:23.
“For You have established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your own people forever, and You, O LORD, have become their God.”
“Tremble before Him, all the earth; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.”
“He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’”
“Blessed be the LORD your God who delighted in you, setting you on His throne as king for the LORD your God; because your God loved Israel establishing them forever, therefore He made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.”
“O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; For the righteous God tries the hearts and minds.”
“The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way.”
“The children of Your servants will continue, And their descendants will be established before You.”
“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all.”
“Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘ My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;”
“In righteousness you will be established; You will be far from oppression, for you will not fear; And from terror, for it will not come near you.”
“‘Their children also will be as formerly, And their congregation shall be established before Me; And I will punish all their oppressors.”
“Thus I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD,”
“After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”
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“You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?”
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” Romans 16:17-20.
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Those who cause dissensions and hindrances are not easily detected. They don’t have horns nor wear red. They don’t wear T-shirts which read: “Question Everything!”. They don’t shout to the crowd. They don’t obviously stir up the crowd to dramatically split them apart.
Rather, they whisper behind the back. They tell half-truths. They listen and smile. They appear righteous. They appear as “angels of light”; “they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting”.
“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.” 2 Corinthians 11:13-14.
That is why Paul urges us to keep an eye on them. If they were so obvious, we would not need to be so careful.
So, as one example, what teaching does Scripture identify as causing dissension or being a hindrance?
“You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?” Galatians 5:7.
The whole book of Galatians warns against the hindrance of seeking to be justified or perfected by the Law. “You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 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 3:1-4.
“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.
You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.” Galatians 5:1-12.
We can understand how deceptive this hindrance is. The false teacher can appear self-righteous by showing off his righteousness based on the Law. The listener can be tempted by the logic (although faulty) that we can only be righteous by our own actions of acting rightly.
But, there is hope!
Scripture can make us wise. Good Reformed creeds, confessions, and catechisms can make sure that we follow sound doctrine and not just be subject to an isolated verse that a teacher hawks.
Moreover, God is in total control and will soon crush Satan under our feet. We have the grace of our Lord Jesus.
Matthew 7:24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
Paul concludes with this hope: “… I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.”
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Greetings: The Importance of Introductions
Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles; also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.” Romans 16:1-5.
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The importance of greetings and introducing new people to the regulars in a church can be understood from Barnabas’ example. “When he (Saul later known as Paul) came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.” Acts 9:26-27.
Notice the repetition of the command to greet in the following Scripture. If Scripture deems it so important to make this command so many times, we should pay greater attention to this command to greet and accordingly give it increased weight of importance based on its repetition.
1 Corinthians 16:20
All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
2 Corinthians 13:12
“Greet one another with a holy kiss.”
“All the saints greet you.”
“Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you.”
“All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.”
“Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.”
“All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.”
“Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you.”
Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to you all who are in Christ.
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Consider “the interests of others”. Pray for them. Encourage them. Help them.
Today’s devotion comes from Romans 15:30-33.
“Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints; so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” Romans 15:30-33.
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Paul is not alone. We all need prayer, encouragement, and help.
“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, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
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 2:1-4.
Some of you are prayer warriors. Be specific in your prayers. Notice the specific details of Paul’s request for prayer. Be also persistent in prayer. Paul requests: “strive together with me”.
Some of you are encouragers. You know the right thing to say to encourage. You beam up like the sun and yet are sincere in your encouragement. You just make people feel better. People “find refreshing rest in your company”.
Some of you are helpers. You are wise and skilled. You provide exactly the help needed.
Consider “the interests of others”. Pray for them. Encourage them. Help them.
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