Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

 ³⁰  And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.”  Acts 11:27-30. 

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It is no coincidence that the new Christians in Antioch contributed to the brethern living in Judea.  These new Christians were either Gentiles or dispersed Jews;  but either way, they did not have the prestige of the brethern in Judea.  Yet, it was largely these new Gentile Christians who saved the brethern in Judea, maybe even saved some of the original twelve disciples, from famine.

“But now there are many members, but one body.  And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”;  or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”   

On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;  and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it.  But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.”  1 Corinthians 12:20-25.

As older, more mature and respected Christians, we tend to not  want help from new Christians.  We want to maintain our self-sufficiency, self-righteousness, and position of self-respect.  We want to do all the important jobs and only delegate meaningless jobs to the new Christians.  We don’t want any need to be shown in us or accept any help from new Christians.

But, as is true with the new Christians from Antioch, God does not allow that to happen.  God allows some need to arise in us, older, more mature and respected Christians, and God allows some new Christians to help us.  Thereby, God bestows honor on the new Christians and binds our hearts together. 

Care for one another “so that there may be no division in the body”.

 ²²  The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch.

 ²³  Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;

 ²⁴  for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.  And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord.

 ²⁵  And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul;

 ²⁶  and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch.  And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers;  and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”  Acts 11:19-26.

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We received the Holy Spirit.  Now what?

“So then …”, today’s Scripture begins.

Preachers preached.

Teachers taught.

Encouragers encouraged.

Mission committees sent out and rallied their missionaries.

“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.

Today’s devotion comes from Acts 11:1-18 which covers the skepticism of some of the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea who heard that the Gentiles also had received the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.  The Apostle Peter proceeded to explain to them in orderly sequence what had happened. 

 ¹⁸  When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”  Acts 11:15-18.

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Whoosh!  The Holy Spirit fell on them!  The Holy Spirit gave them life, working repentance and faith in them, as they heard God’s Word, the good news of salvation.

Article 22 of The Belgic Confession states:  “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. …”

Article 8 of The Canons of Dordt states:  “… 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 …” 

Here is Question and Answer 21 of The Heidelberg Catechism.

Question 21. What is true faith?

Answer.  True faith is not only a certain knowledge, whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in his word, but also an assured confidence, which the Holy Ghost works by the gospel, in my heart;  that not only to others, but to me also, remission of sin, everlasting righteousness and salvation, are freely given by God, merely of grace, only for the sake of Christ’s merits.

Here is Questions and Answers 32, 58, 67, 72, and 76 of The Westminister Larger Catechism.

Question 32:  How is the grace of God manifested in the second covenant?

Answer: The grace of God is manifested in the second covenant, in that he freely provides and offers to sinners a Mediator, and life and salvation by him; and requiring faith as the condition to interest them in him, promises and gives his Holy Spirit to all his elect, to work in them that faith, with all other saving graces;  and to enable them unto all holy obedience, as the evidence of the truth of their faith and thankfulness to God, and as the way which he has appointed them to salvation.

Question 58:  How do we come to be made partakers of the benefits which Christ has procured?

Answer:  We are made partakers of the benefits which Christ has procured, by the application of them unto us, which is the work especially of God the Holy Ghost.

Question 67:  What is effectual calling?

Answer:  Effectual calling is the work of God’s almighty power and grace, whereby (out of his free and special love to his elect, and from nothing in them moving him thereunto) he does, in his accepted time, invite and draw them to Jesus Christ, by his Word and Spirit;  savingly enlightening their minds, renewing and powerfully determining their wills, so as they (although in themselves dead in sin) are hereby made willing and able freely to answer his call, and to accept and embrace the grace offered and conveyed therein.

Question 72:  What is justifying faith?

Answer:  Justifying faith is a saving grace, wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and Word of God, whereby he, being convinced of his sin and misery, and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition, not only assents to the truth of the promise of the gospel, but receives and rests upon Christ and his righteousness, therein held forth, for pardon of sin, and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation.

Question 76:  What is repentance unto life?

Answer:  Repentance unto life is a saving grace, wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and Word of God, whereby, out of the sight and sense, not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, and upon the apprehension of God’s mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, he so grieves for and hates his sins, as that he turns from them all to God, purposing and endeavoring constantly to walk with him in all the ways of new obedience.

May we remember and appreciate more today, Good Friday, and every other day, that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, “by his death” “purchased” for us “faith, … together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit”  (above-stated Article 8 of The Canons of Dordt)!

 ⁴⁷  “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?”

 ⁴⁸  And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.  Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.”  Acts 10:44-48. 

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It is grace that “the Holy Spirit fell upon all those listening to the message”.

It is amazing, “because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured on the Gentiles also”.

How Sweet the Sound!  “For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God.” 

We remember Acts 2:17.  ” ‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says,
         ‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND;  …’ ”

We also remember Galatians 3:13-14.  “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us–for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”–in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

How historic!  How thrilling!  How amazing! 

 ³⁷  you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed.

 ³⁸  “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

 ³⁹  “We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem.  They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross.

 ⁴⁰  “God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible,

 ⁴¹  not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

 ⁴²  “And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.

 ⁴³  “Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”  Acts 10:34-43.

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The context of this Scripture for today, as is true with any Scripture, is so important.  The context of this Scripture for today is Acts Chapter 10 which begins with laying the foundation of Peter’s vision which helped Peter understand that the good news of salvation was not only for Jews but also for Gentiles (non-Jews).

So, when Peter states in Acts 10:34-35 in the Scripture for today, “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him”, Peter was referring to his understanding that the good news of salvation was not only for Jews but also for Gentiles (non-Jews).  

In addition to the context helping us understand this Acts 10:34-35, it also helps us ward off false teaching.  I can easily speculate that there may be those who have an agenda to try to find and use any verses, regardless of context, to teach what they want and would like to isolate these two verses to try to resist the teaching of election. 

But, we Reformed believers should also not have an agenda and try to find and use any verses, regardless of context, to teach what we want.  The simple and beautiful good news of this Scripture is “everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.” 

True faith in Christ is evidence of our election.  Here is what The Canons of Dordtstates. 

Article 12.  The elect in due time, though in various degrees and in different measures, attain the assurance of this their eternal and unchangeable election, not by inquisitively prying into the secret and deep things of God, but by observing in themselves with a spiritual joy and holy pleasure, the infallible fruits of election pointed out in the Word of God – such as a true faith in Christ, filial fear, a godly sorrow for sin, a hungering and thirsting after righteousness, etc.

 ²⁷  As he talked with him, he entered and found many people assembled.

 ²⁸  And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him;  and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.

 ²⁹  “That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for.  So I ask for what reason you have sent for me.”

 ³⁰  Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour;  and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments,

 ³¹  and he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.

 ³²  ‘Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you;  he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’

 ³³  “So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come.  Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”  Acts 10:24-33.  

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Today’s Scripture clearly shows that God prepared both Peter, the speaker, and Cornelius, the listener, for their encounter.  And yet, we too often just think and just pray that God would prepare the preacher.

But, what does Scripture state about preparing the listener? 

“Listen, O my people, to my instruction;
         Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.”  Psalm 78:1.

There is also the warning in Psalm 78:8 to not be like that generation in Israel, “… A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not prepare its heart And whose spirit was not faithful to God.”

But, we are not like that generation.  Through God’s grace, we prepare our hearts to receive God’s Word.  “As the deer pants for the water brooks,
         So my soul pants for You, O God. 
    My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;
         When shall I come and appear before God?”  Psalm 42:1-2. 

We clearly see in this Scripture the preparation by God for both Peter and Cornelius through the means of the visions that God gave to each of them. 

We also clearly see in this Scripture the preparation for this encounter by Cornelius.  “…Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends.  … As he talked with him, he entered and found many people assembled.”  Acts 10:24-27.

We also clearly remember the preparation by Cornelius for this encounter in the prior Scripture.  Cornelius “…prayed to God continually.”  Acts 10:2.  

The Scripture for today concludes by showing the eagerness of Cornelius.  “So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come.  Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”  Acts 10:33.  Oh, that we would all be so eager to receive God’s Word! 

What we don’t clearly see, but must trust Scripture, is all the preparations that God makes for both the speaker and listener, for all of us.  From the very beginning of our lives, God prepares us.  “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  Throughout our lives, God prepares us.  “… God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:28.  To the very end of our lives, God prepares us.  “For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.  Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.  Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord–for we walk by faith, not by sight– ”  2 Corinthians 5:4-7.

 ⁴  And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?”  And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

 ⁵  “Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter;

 ⁶  he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.”

 ⁷  When the angel who was speaking to him had left, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants,

 ⁸  and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.”  Acts 10:1-8. 

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Here is Cornelius, a man who had every excuse to not be devout.  He was a Gentile.  He was a soldier.  He was a commander of 100 soldiers called the Italian cohort.  He was stationed some distance away from Jerusalem, the center of religious activity.  

Yet, today’s Scripture calls Cornelius “a devout man and one who feared God”.  And, Scripture adds that he was so “with all his household”.  Moreover, Cornelius “gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually”.  We also note that Cornelius chose a devout soldier to be one of his personal attendants and chose that devout soldier to go on this important mission in obedience to the angel in his vision.

The lesson for us today is to surround ourselves with prayers and people who are Godly.  “pray without ceasing;”  1 Thessalonians 5:17  “As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.”  Psalm 16:3

There are warnings of associating with bad people.  “Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”  1 Corinthians 15:33  The following verses contain just a few examples.

Psalm 1:1
“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!”

“I do not sit with deceitful men,
         Nor will I go with pretenders. 
    I hate the assembly of evildoers,
         And I will not sit with the wicked.”  Psalm 26:4-5. 

Proverbs 20:19
“He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip.”

Proverbs 22:24
“Do not associate with a man given to anger;  Or go with a hot-tempered man,”

 ³⁵  And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

 ³⁶  Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas);  this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did.

 ³⁷  And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room.

 ³⁸  Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.”

 ³⁹  So Peter arose and went with them.  When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room;  and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them.

 ⁴⁰  But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

 ⁴¹  And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

 ⁴²  It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

 ⁴³  And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.”  Acts 9:32-43.

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We conclude the chapter of Acts 9 with the accounts of the healing of Aeneas and the rising of the dead of Dorcas.  There are three central characters who received grace from God in this chapter of Acts:  Saul, Aeneas, and Dorcas.

I am calling Dorcas “the Good”, “this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did”.  I am calling Saul “the Bad”, “how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem”.  I am calling Aeneas “the Paralyzed”, figuratively, because nothing is said in this Scripture of any good or bad that he did or anything at all, and literally, because “he was paralyzed”.

This mixture of characters is like what is in life.  There are the apparent good.  There are the apparent bad.  And, there are those who don’t seem to do much good or bad or anything at all.  Yet, God shows grace to people within all three categories.  And, so should we.

We are reminded of Romans 9:15-16.  “For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.”  So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”

We are also reminded of the Scripture that was quoted in the last devotion, Matthew 5:45-48. “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven;  for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?  Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others?  Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

³¹  So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.”

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I love Barnabas!  His actual name was Joseph.  The apostles called him Barnabas (which translated means Son of Encouragement).  Acts 4:36.  What a wonderful recognition!

And here, we see Barnabas acting consistently with his name.  Barnabas took hold of Saul and brought him into the band of fellowship of the disciples. 

There are those like me who are a little different and are on the fringe outside of the band of fellowship.  But, there are those who encouraged me and encouraged those within the band of fellowship to bring me in the  band of fellowship.      

This Scripture for today gives me a glimpse of the covenant.  In a nutshell, the covenant is God’s plan of salvation wherein God unconditionally elects certain people for salvation and brings them within the band of the family fellowship of the Holy Trinity.

We are called to imitate our Father in Heaven.  “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?  Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others?  Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  Matthew 5:45-48.

Let us copy Barnabas.  Let us copy our Father in Heaven.  Let us encourage others.  Let us bring others within the band of fellowship.

 ¹²  and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.”

 ¹³  But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem;

 ¹⁴  and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”

 ¹⁵  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;

 ¹⁶  for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

 ¹⁷  So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

 ¹⁸  And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized;

 ¹⁹  and he took food and was strengthened.”  Acts 9:10-19.

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Oh, how almost every Christian is proud to praise God for being sovereign over the stars!  But, many resist acknowledging that God is sovereign over salvation. 

And, of those few who acknowledge that God is sovereign over salvation, there are still too many who resist acknowledging that God is also sovereign over man’s work for God.

We considered God’s sovereignty over salvation in yesterday’s devotion titled “Irresistible Grace”.  Today, we consider God’s sovereignty over man’s work for God. 

The Scripture for today presents a sharp contrast which highlights God’s sovereignty over man’s work for God.  “But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man (Saul), how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem;  and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”  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;”  Acts 9:13-15. 

Paul was an apostle of Christ Jesus “by the will of God“.  Ephesians 1:1.

Man thinks he has authority over his own works.  Man may even have evil intentions.  But, God is in control and is the One with authority over man’s works.  God can even take one who is the supreme persecutor to tear down the church and turn him into being the supreme person to build up the church.  Notice the contrasting parallelism between the phrases “to bind all who call on Your name” with “to bear My name”.

God is not just sovereign over man’s works for God as if God had to deal with foreign material.  God is sovereign over us from the very beginning.  “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. 

Jesus “… gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.”  Titus 2:14.   

And, even after His creation and purification of His people for good works, God stays intimately involved in us.  “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13.