Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

 ²⁰  “In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”  John 14:9-20.

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We could be left as orphans.  Worse, we could be left for dead. 

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, 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, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:4-9.

As my Pastor preached last Sunday, we are not in a contract with God wherein God will grant us salvation if we do our part of the contract (whether it be sufficient works, sufficient faith, or even as little as sufficient acceptance of Him).  We are in a covenant where God performs all that is necessary for our salvation.

This should make sense.  If we are truly “dead in our transgressions”, what can we do at all, much less perfectly satisfy any divine contractual obligation?  

Reformed doctrine a/k/a Calvinism is not just “closer to the truth”.  The trouble that I have with that language is that it implies that other doctrine is also the truth and that other doctrine is acceptable.  When you hear that language, to get rid of that thought, think sarcastically how ridiculous it would be to think that saints in heaven are “closer to” God than the condemned in hell (even though it may be technically true).    

Christ is the truth.  Christ is not what we want Him to be, whether it be a loving hippy (as portrayed in some pictures) or as some lone figure knocking on a door hoping that we will open it (as also portrayed in some pictures) or some Santa Claus or as some big and vague authority figure in the sky with His arms folded waiting to see if we somehow will satisfy His strict requirements.

Christ is the way.  Christ does not just provide the way such as just teach us how we can do sufficient works or teach us how we can otherwise perform our part of the contract.  Christ comes to us, the elect, and brings us within the friendship and fellowship of the Trinity.  That is an unconditional covenant.

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When we read this Scripture and other similar Scriptures, our minds may dream of some luxury that we want.  Before we throw a wet blanket over those thoughts, God does grant us so many wishes of things that we want which are beyond our needs.  For example, God gives us necessary bread, but God also gives us the best steaks.  God gives us necessary water, but God also gives us “.. wine which makes man’s heart glad, So that he may make his face glisten with oil, …”  Psalm 104:15. 

But, why does Christ do what we ask in His name?  Does Christ do what we ask only to satisfy our desire for pleasures?  No!  James 4: 3 makes that clear.  “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”  James 4:3.

Christ does what we ask in His name, “so that the Father may be glorified in the Son”.

By what is the Father glorified?  Jesus said:  “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.”  John 17:4. 

What is that work?  “Jesus spoke these things;  and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come;  glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life.”  John 17:1-2.

Thus, Christ does what we ask in His name as part of His work to give us eternal life.

God does richly supply us with all things to enjoy.  But, Paul warns us:  “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.”  1 Timothy 6:17

“… No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”  Psalm 84:11  These good things make us appreciate more the goodness of God.  These good things also make us appreciate more that God is our Father.  “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”  Matthew 7:11.  We receive these good things, so that we can glorify God more.  We are reminded of Question and Answer 1 of The Westminister Larger Catechism. 

Question 1: What is the chief and highest end of man?

Answer: Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.

In conclusion, whatever we receive from the hand of God, “all things must be subservient to my salvation”.  Question and Answer 1 of The Heidelberg Catechism.  But, even more, whatever we receive from the hand of God is “so that the Father may be glorified in the Son”. 

 ⁹  Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip?  He who has seen Me has seen the Father;  how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

 ¹⁰  “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me?  The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.

 ¹¹  “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me;  otherwise believe because of the works themselves.

 ¹²  “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also;  and greater works than these he will do;  because I go to the Father.”  John 14:7-12.

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Jesus is “the image of the invisible God”.  Colossians 1:15.  Jesus is “the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature”.  Hebrews 1:3.

Here is what Article 10 of The Belgic Confession states in part about Jesus.

Article 10:  That Jesus Christ is true and eternal God.

We believe that Jesus Christ, according to his divine nature, is the only begotten Son of God, begotten from eternity, not made nor created (for then he should be a creature), but co-essential and co-eternal with the Father, the express image of his person, and the brightness of his glory, equal unto him in all things. He is the Son of God, not only from the time that he assumed our nature, but from all eternity, as these testimonies, when compared together, teach us. Moses saith, that God created the world; and John saith, that all things were made by that Word, which he calleth God.  And the apostle saith, that God make the worlds by his Son;  likewise, that God created all things by Jesus Christ.  Therefore it must needs follow, that he, who is called God, the Word, the Son, and Jesus Christ, did exist at that time, when all things were created by him.  Therefore the prophet Micah saith, His goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. And the apostle:  He hath neither beginning of days, nor end of life.  He therefore is that true, eternal, and almighty God, whom we invoke, worship and serve.

In conclusion, this doctrine about Jesus’ oneness with His Father is not just an abstract truth.  This truth immediately follows John 14:6, and this truth should makes us ever more confident that Jesus is “the way, and the truth, and the life;  no one comes to the Father but through Me.”  John 14:6.  When God the Father promised salvation to His people throughout Scripture, the relationship between Him and His Son Jesus Christ was so close, that God the Father knew He could and would deliver that salvation.

In the Scripture for today, Jesus states:  “the Father abiding in Me does His works“.  Elsewhere in Scripture, we read:  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  John 3:16.

“For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute.  In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.  This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”  Hebrews 6:16-20.

 ⁶  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life;  no one comes to the Father but through Me.”  John 14:4-6.

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“I know that!”  We may want to rush past by this Scripture to something more interesting.  But, there is more here than seems at first glance.  There is more than the objective truth that Jesus is the only way. 

 ³  “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”  John 14:1-3.

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This Scripture is a follow-up to Jesus’ potentially troubling words in the prior chapter.  “Little children, I am with you a little while longer You will seek Me;  and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ ”  John 13:33.

Jesus did not want His disciples to be troubled, and so he assures them with this promise:  “that where I am, there you may be also.”  

We tend to focus on verse 2, and we focus on mansions, and we let our imaginations go wild, fueled on dreams of luxury.  But, I think the focus should be on verse 3.  The focus should be on Christ, and we should meditate on the supreme value of simply being in the presence of Christ.  A former Pastor exhorted us, his congregation:  “Seek Christ’s presence, not just His presents.”

We also tend to think too little of a belief in Christ.  We tend to be satisfied with a belief in the historical existence of Christ and that Christ is indeed our Savior.  We tend to be satisfied that Christ can save us from hell (protection) and give us heaven (presents). 

But, how much do we really value simply being in His presence?  If we were one of Christ’s disciples and heard those words (‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’), would it really trouble us?  How would it trouble us?  Would it simply trouble us that we might not get some perceived protection or presents?  Or, would it trouble us because we love Christ so much that we would be troubled just because we thought that we could no longer be in His presence?

I wish I could answer those questions the right way, but I must confess that I seek His protection and presents more than His presence.   

Others may be eager like Peter to claim:  “… I will lay down my life for You.”  John 13:47.  But, before they get too cocky, they should remember the rooster.

We need to go beyond a superficial belief to a deep belief in Christ that primarily seeks the supreme value of simply being in the presence of Christ.  We need to seek Christ’s presence when Christ’s protection and presents seem to disappear.  We need to seek Christ’s presence even though it means that we will be persecuted.

This is not just a matter of just trying harder, even though yes, we should try harder.  We really need God’s grace to have the faith and the love that we should for Christ.

But, there is hope! 

Here is what Paul said at a time when he claimed, like some of us, that he acted “ignorantly in unbelief” and that he was not only just a sinner but “foremost of all” sinners. 

Paul said at that time of confession:  “and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.”  1 Timothy 1:14.  The faith and the love that we need are in Christ, and this grace is more than abundant!  Praise God!!!

 ³⁸  Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me?  Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.”  John 13:36-38.

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The Humble Pie doesn’t taste good.  But, it is good for us.  No one likes to hear The Rooster crowing in the morning signaling:  “Time to get up!”  But, it is good for us.  Yesterday, I ate humble pie and then heard the rooster crow.

Why?  Is it really necessary?  I certainly know that I am far from perfect, but I think I am doing some things right.

Question and Answer 115 of The Heidelberg Catechism provides the answer and The Hope.

Question 115.  Why will God then have the ten commandments so strictly preached, since no man in this life can keep them?

Answer.  First, that all our lifetime we may learn more and more to know our sinful nature, and thus become the more earnest in seeking the remission of sin, and righteousness in Christ;  likewise, that we constantly endeavor and pray to God for the grace of the Holy Spirit, that we may become more and more conformable to the image of God, till we arrive at the perfection proposed to us, in a life to come.

The Hope is also almost hidden in today’s Scripture:  “but you will follow later.”

 ³⁵  “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”  John 13:33-35.

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The central message of this Scripture for today is that Jesus commands us to love another.  This commandment is a good summary of what we read earlier in this chapter, namely, that we wash one another’s feet.  John 13:14.  As I wrote in the devotion for December 31, 2010, “Although we cannot clean each other from sin, we can be kind to each other and forgive each other and encourage each other and build each other up.”

This Scripture also reminds us that we can do more.  Love encompasses a lot more than being kind, forgiving, encouraging, and building up.

Love can include the act of a husband and father working hard to provide financial support for his family.  Love can include the act of a wife and mother cleaning toilets and changing diapers.  Of course, a husband and father should also clean toilets and change diapers, and a wife may be able to provide some financial support;  but love does not wait until the other person does what he or she thinks is that other person’s fair share before he or she does all that he or she can do out of love.

This Scripture drove me to the carpet in repentance early this morning.  Yesterday, I nitpicked both my wife and sons.  I hurt their feelings.  Rather, than doing all that I could do out of love, I criticized them for some small things that I thought they should do.

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge;  and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”  1 Corinthians 13:1-2.