Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

 ¹¹  “Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony.

 ¹²  “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

 ¹³  “No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven:  the Son of Man.

 ¹⁴  “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must he Son of Man be lifted up;

 ¹⁵  so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.”  John 3:9-15.  (Emphasis added.)

Let us live “in Him”! 

Let us always think of ourselves “in Him”. 

Let us always remember that all of the promised blessings are “in Him”.

Never allow Satan, that “accuser of our brethren” (Revelation 12:10), to make you think that you are or should be outside of Him!

Colossians 3:3
“For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

 ³  Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

 ⁴  Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old?  He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”

 ⁵  Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

 ⁶  “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

 ⁷  “Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

 ⁸  “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going;  so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  John 3:1-8. 

God saves Whom He wills to save.  That is the essential meaning of Jesus’ statement:  “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

We read also earlier in the Book of John:  “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”  John 1:12-13.  (Emphasis added.)

Racial lineage (which is “blood”) does not save.  Works do not save.  “Free-will” (which is “will of the flesh”) does not save.  Nothing produced by the flesh of man saves.  Only God saves. 

^“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.”  Romans 9:15-16.

Doesn’t this foregoing Romans 9:15-16 resound in truth with the following John 3:8.   “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going;  so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  Like we can’t trace where the wind will blow, we can’t trace the works of man or the free-will of man to determine whom God will save.

This is “Unconditional Election”, the “U” of “TULIP” which is the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of salvation.  There is no condition produced by man which motivates God to save him or her. 

Moreover, this is also logically consistent with “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”. 

If it is true (and it is true):                     

”as it is written,
“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”  Romans 3:10-11:

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,”  Ephesians 2:1,

then our only “chance” for salvation is to be “born of the Spirit” which is “Unconditional Election”.

“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;  but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 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 1:26-31.

 ²⁵  and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.”  John 2:23-25.

Reformed doctrine a/k/a Calvinism, specifically “TULIP” teaches us what is in man:  “Total Depravity”, the “T” in “TULIP”.

Man is spiritually dead in his sin, not just wounded.  Man does not possess “free will”.  Man is bound to Satan who has taken man’s will captive.  Man is hostile to God. Man cannot please God.  Man cannot understand the things of God.  Man is in bondage to sin and Satan.  As a result of the fall, sin has totally affected all the faculties of man, making man unable to contribute anything towards his own salvation.  As the following Scriptures state, man does not seek after God, but rather man is dead in sin.                    

Romans 3:10-11:
” as it is written,
“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”

Ephesians 2:1: “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,” (Emphasis added.)

Consider then the following Questions and Answers from The Heidelberg Catechism.

Question 6.  Did God then create man so wicked and perverse?

Answer.  By no means; but God created man good, and after his own image, in true righteousness and holiness, that he might rightly know God his Creator, heartily love him and live with him in eternal happiness to glorify and praise him. 

Question 7.  Whence then proceeds this depravity of human nature?

Answer.  From the fall and disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, in Paradise;  hence our nature is become so corrupt, that we are all conceived and born in sin.  

Question 8.  Are we then so corrupt that we are wholly incapable of doing any good, and inclined to all wickedness?

Answer.  Indeed we are;  except that we are regenerated by the Spirit of God. 

So then, what does Scripture state concerning trusting man?

Psalm 118:8
“It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in man.”

Psalm 146:3
“Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.”

Proverbs 29:25
“The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted.”

In conclusion, we need to trust God, rather than trust man.  Consider Jeremiah 17:5-8.   

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.

 ¹⁹  Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

 ²⁰  The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

 ²¹  But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

 ²²  So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this;  and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.”  John 2:18-22. 

This Scripture teaches the importance of speaking the truth, including the truth of Scripture.  Not only is it “the right thing to do” for its own sake, speaking the truth, including truth of Scripture, leads and helps others to believe.

^“28  “The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth.  What does straw have in common with grain?” declares the LORD.

 ²⁹  “Is not My word like fire?” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?

 ³⁰  “Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the LORD, “who steal My words from each other.

 ³¹  “Behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the LORD, “who use their tongues and declare, ‘The Lord declares.’

 ³²  “Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams,” declares the LORD, “and related them and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting;  yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit,” declares the LORD.  Jeremiah 23:28-32. 

These are the things which you should do …

Zechariah 8:16
‘These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates.”

Consider the example of Jesus.

 Luke 20:21
“They questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, and You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth.”

On the other hand, consider the nature of the devil.

John 8:44-46:
“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him.  Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.  “But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.  “Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me?”

Consider the work of the Holy Spirit.

John 16:13
“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth;  for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak;  and He will disclose to you what is to come.”

Speaking the truth in love helps us to avoid being tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine.  

Ephesians 4:14-15:
“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;  but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,”

Therefore …

Ephesians 4:25
“Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.”

 ¹⁵  And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables;

 ¹⁶  and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.”

 ¹⁷  His disciples remembered that it was written, “ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME.”  John 2:13-17.

If this Scripture does not motivate you to consider what your church allows, maybe the following article in today’s St. Petersburg Times will get your attention.  

I normally first read the Scripture and then read the newspaper before I write the daily devotion.  So, knowing the specific Scripture for today’s devotion, and also as an attorney with a general interest in lawsuits, this following article in today’s newspaper was doubly interesting to me.   

 ³  When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

 ⁴  And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us?  My hour has not yet come.”

 ⁵  His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

 ⁶  Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each.

 ⁷  Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.”  So they filled them up to the brim.

 ⁸  And He said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.”  So they took it to him.

 ⁹  When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom,

 ¹⁰  and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.”

 ¹¹  This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

 ¹²  After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples;  and they stayed there a few days.”  John 2:1-12.

It is astonishing that Jesus made 120 to 150 gallons of great wine.  It is also astonishing that to do it, Jesus used six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification.

Sometimes, we like to whimper and snuff, even reluctantly, that Jesus will provide for our needs but not for our wants.  This miracle smashes that thought and tells us about the Lavish Provider of Joy that Jesus is.

Isaiah 25:6
“The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain;  A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, And refined, aged wine.”

Sometimes, we won’t let go of the Law, symbolized by the six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, to purify ourselves.  This miracle also smashes that thought and tells us about the New Provider of Purification that Jesus is.

“For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did:  sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”  Romans 8:3-4.

“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,”  Philippians 3:8-9. 

And Jesus did all of this to manifest His glory.  “This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.”  John 2:11.

 ⁴⁵  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote–Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

 ⁴⁶  Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”  Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

 ⁴⁷  Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”

 ⁴⁸  Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?”  Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

 ⁴⁹  Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God;  You are the King of Israel.”

 ⁵⁰  Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe?  You will see greater things than these.”

 ⁵¹  And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”  John 1:43-51.

Nathanael was inquisitive.  Nathanael said to Philip, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”  Nathanael wanted to check out Jesus, so he came to see Jesus.  In response to Jesus’ comment, Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?”  

Nathanael was without deceit.  Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 

Nathanael was faithful.  Nathanael answered Jesus, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God;  You are the King of Israel.”  Jesus recognized that Nathanael demonstrated faith over comparative little evidence of Jesus’ deity by remarking:  “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe?  You will see greater things than these.”

So, what is the lesson for us today? 

Sometimes, maybe most of the time, God chooses shockingly rough characters to save, such as the Apostle Paul, who identified himself as the chief of sinners.  “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.  Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.”  1 Timothy 1:15-16.

But, we also have a duty to prepare ourselves for the Lord.  In this same chapter, we read of the ministry of John the Baptist.  “He said, “I am A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”  John 1:23.  John the Baptist said:  “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”  Luke  3:8.    “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.  Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. ”  2 Timothy 2:21-22.

Scripture also states:  “O LORD, who may abide in Your tent?  Who may dwell on Your holy hill?  He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart.”  Psalm 15:1-2.

As Reformed believers, it may be particularly tempting to us to just cry out “Total Depravity” and sit on our hands and wait for salvation. 

The lesson of Nathanael may be that, through God’s grace, we should continually seek to diligently add moral qualities to our faith.  

^“Now for this very reason 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.

 ³⁷  The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

 ³⁸  And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?”  They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?”

 ³⁹  He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”  So they came and saw where He was staying;  and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

 ⁴⁰  One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

 ⁴¹  He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ).

 ⁴²  He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John;  you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).”  John 1:35-42.

It is interesting, and even encouraging, to compare the two actions of “witnessing” in today’s Scripture.  John made a spontaneous exclamation:  “Behold, the Lamb of God!”, but there appears to be no follow-up.  Andrew made a more intent and deliberate declaration:  “We have found the Messiah”, and he followed it up by bringing his brother to Jesus.

There will be times in our lives when we will be like John and just make such an isolated and spontaneous exclamation about Jesus, but it will still bear fruit.  There will be other times in our lives when we will be more intent and deliberative about witnessing and about following it up by bringing others to Jesus.

We may first think that Andrew was more intent and deliberate, because he had more concern and more opportunity to witness to his brother, but we certainly know that John was by no means shy or hesitant about witnessing to his disciples or even to strangers.  Although I think that we may have more opportunities to witness to family members (and follow-up) than to strangers, and we should use these opportunities, the primary lesson for today’s Scripture is to recognize that both actions are “witnessing” and both actions did bear fruit.

Last Wednesday, September 22, 2010, we read Luke 24:48-49:  “You are witnesses of these things.  “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you;  but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”  We know that we know have this power.  Likewise, Acts 1:8 states:  “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;  and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” 

We also read John 15:16:  “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.”

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13.

 ⁵¹  While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven.

 ⁵²  And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy,

 ⁵³  and were continually in the temple praising God.”  Luke 24:50-53. 

The Heidelberg Catechism questions and answers:

Question 49.  Of what advantage to us is Christ’s ascension into heaven?

Answer.  First, that he is our advocate in the presence of his Father in heaven;  secondly, that we have our flesh in heaven as a sure pledge that he, as the head, will also take up to himself, us, his members;  thirdly, that he sends us his Spirit as an earnest, by whose power we “seek the things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God, and not things on earth.

The bookends of Jesus’ coming and going were actions of praising God.  And, so often, the people’s response to Jesus were actions of praising God.

Here are some examples:

 ⁴⁶  and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day,

 ⁴⁷  and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

 ⁴⁸  “You are witnesses of these things.

 ⁴⁹  “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you;  but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”  Luke 24:44-49. 

As you note, the recent devotions carried reminders.  The Scripture for today is the final and most extensive reminder.

So, what are some of the purposes of these reminders?

The reminders help us to trust Scripture.  “Look!  All of Scripture about Me has been fulfilled!”

The reminders help us to understand Scripture.  Although we can infer a miracle by Jesus in opening the disciples’ minds, when we learn how different passages of Scripture relate to each other, we can better understand all these related Scriptures.

The reminders help us to focus on what is most important.   “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, ”

The reminders help us to take action, so “that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations”.

The reminders hold us accountable.  “You are witnesses of these things.”

The reminders help us to be patient and eagerly expect what was promised.  “”And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you;  but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”