Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

 ⁷  and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’

 ⁸  “I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.”  Luke 11:5-8. 

Persistence is powerful and pays off.  It is the one word theme of this Scripture.

There was no other virtue displayed.  One could even argue that the person who possessed persistence was not prepared, maybe even negligent, in not having food on hand for such need.  But, he was persistent and got as much as he needed.

This is not a unique message.  We see the teaching of persistence repeated through Scripture persistently.  

In Luke 18:1-7, we read the parable of the widow who persistently asked the unrighteous judge for legal protection from her opponent.  The teaching’s conclusion is:  “now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?” 

Whether we are doing good or just enduring, we should not lose heart, but rather we should be persistent.

“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”  Galatians 6:9

“For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”  Hebrews 12:3

In conclusion, we know that we should be persistent.  How do we get such persistence?  Do we just try harder?  Do we just keep going longer?  Is it just a matter of will-power?

The persistence that we want is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.  It is called faithfulness.  See Galatians 5:22-23.

We pray for the Holy Spirit and for the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  And in tomorrow’s text, we read:  “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”  Luke 11:13.

The first prayer request, and maybe the most important prayer request, is that God’s name be hallowed. 

The first commandment is similar:  “You shall have no other gods before Me.”  Exodus 20:3.

We are also reminded of Proverbs 9:10 :
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Everywhere in the Bible, we are taught the holiness of God, There are 583 verses with the word “holy” in it – Click here: BibleGateway.com – Keyword Search: holy

One of the books that cemented my understanding and appreciation for Reformed Doctrine a/k/a Calvinism was The Holiness of God by R. C. Sproul – Click here: Amazon.com: The Holiness of God (9780842339650): R. C. Sproul: Books

 ⁴⁰  But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone?  Then tell her to help me.”

 ⁴¹  But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;

 ⁴²  but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”  Luke 10:38-42.

Martha could not understand why Mary was not also working on all the preparations.  Notice that Martha did not even wait for Jesus’ answer to her question:  “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone?”.  She immediately followed with her demand as if there was no other reasonable answer.  “Then tell her to help me.” 

Jesus told Martha, and tells us today, “only one thing is necessary”.  In John 6:27, Jesus tells us:  “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”

^“Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven.  “For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.”  John 6:32-33. 

Moses represents the Law.  Martha was demanding that Jesus hold the Law over Mary’s head to make Mary do the works of the Law.  But, Jesus did not hold the Law over Mary’s head to make Mary help Martha. 

Even as “good”, “holy”, and “righteous” is the Law (Romans 7:12), it does not result in life for us.  Rather, unless we are released from the Law and made to die to it, the Law results in our death.

Even as “good”, “holy”, and “righteous”, it was for Mary to help Martha with the preparations and serving, it would not help Mary.  Martha thought there was no other answer other than her demand:  “”Then tell her to help me.”      

The problem is the sin within us.  “But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind;  for apart from the Law sin is dead.  I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died;  and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me;  for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.”  Romans 7:8-12.

The solution is:  “Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.”  Romans 7:4.

Mary chose the good part, Christ and His Words which is life, and it was not taken from her.  We too are called to “not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life”.

 ²⁷  And he answered, “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND;  AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”

 ²⁸  And He said to him, “You have answered correctly;  DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE.”

 ²⁹  But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

… 

 ³⁶  “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” 

 ³⁷  And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

Who is my neighbor?

The Good Samaritan did not make advanced plans to show mercy to the man beaten and left half dead.  But, when the Good Samaritan saw him, he felt compassion on him and went to lengths to help him, showing mercy to him.

We do know that this beaten man was “going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers” (verse 30), but we don’t know anything else:  whether this man was a good man or a bad man, an old man or a young man, a rich man or a poor man etc.  Maybe, we can guess that he was a good man, old man, and poor man, because of what happened to him, but those are only speculations that work against the message of this story.

The message of this story is that we should show mercy toward those who cross our path whether they be good or bad, old or young, rich or poor.  We should show mercy toward whoever crosses our path and needs our help.

How do we show this mercy?

I think that it is significant that the priest and Levite were part of this story.  As we know, they passed by the man beaten and left half dead.  They represent the Law.  They knew the Law and the requirements of the Law.  They knew that they had a duty to help this man.  But, they did not do so.

In comparison, the Good Samaritan knew little or nothing about the Law.  It was not the Law that motivated him to help the man beaten and left half dead.  Rather, it was the compassion within the Good Samaritan that motivated the Good Samaritan to help the man beaten and left half dead. 

How do we get this compassion?

We need Jesus Christ in our hearts.  We need the Holy Spirit within us.  We need to walk by the Spirit.  We trust the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of love, kindness, and goodness within us, that will constitute such compassion necessary to show such mercy.  See Galatians Chapter 5.

 ²³  Turning to the disciples, He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see,

 ²⁴  for I say to you, that many prophets and kings wished to see the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them.”  Luke 10:21-24.

Predestination may be offensive to man, but it is well-pleasing in God’s sight.  Man may want his own future to be in his own hands, but God ordains whom He will save. 

Man may think that He knows God the Father, without knowing God the Son who is Jesus Christ, and man may believe such “faith” is sufficient.  Man may think his general prayers to God, without reference to Jesus Christ, will be acceptable to God, but our “spiritual sacrifices (are) acceptable to God (only) through Jesus Christ“.  1 Peter 2:5.  (Parenthetical additions are added by Bill.) 

Blessed are the eyes which see the things of salvation, not as the way that we would want them, but as the way God ordained.  These things of salvation are summarized in the Five Points of Calvinism known by the acronym “TULIP” which consist of “Total Depravity”, “Unconditional Election”, “Limited Atonement”, “Irresistible Grace”, and “Perseverance of the Saints a/k/a Preservation of the Saints”.  Here is a link which provides some of the many Scriptures upon which TULIP is based, and which also explains why it is so important to have such true doctrine – Click here: Reformed Doctrine – Bill Hornbeck .

 ¹⁹  “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.

 ²⁰  “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”  Luke 10:17-20.  (Emphasis added.)

There can be many accomplishments which can give us joy.  But, in comparison to salvation, this Scripture tells us to not even rejoice in our accomplishments, but rather this Scripture tells us to rejoice that our names are recorded in heaven.

And, this salvation is not described in terms of something that we accomplished.  But rather, this salvation is described in terms of something done for us by God:  “your names are recorded in heaven”. 

We are reminded of Ephesians 1:3-4.

“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.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”  Ephesians 1:3-4.

In conclusion, this is a summary of Reformed Doctrine.  It is first a focus and a rejoicing in the sovereignty and majesty of God.  It is secondly a focus and a rejoicing in God’s salvation of us through election.  God “chose us before the foundation of the world”.  God “predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ”.  Rejoice “your names are recorded in heaven”. 

 ¹⁵  “And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you?  You will be brought down to Hades!

 ¹⁶  “The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”   Luke 10:13-16.

Rejection should not come to us as a surprise.  I think that it is helpful to remember the following four points. 

First, Christ was rejected, and so we will also be rejected by some, by even many.  Christ even performed miracles, showing His divine goodness and power and authority, and yet He was still rejected. 

Second, those that are rejecting us are not ultimately rejecting us personally or our performance, they are rejecting Christ, the Son, and rejecting God, the Father.

Third, one of the purposes of preaching and teaching is that “… every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;”  Romans 3:19.  Even though a person rejects Christ, the preaching and teaching accomplishes the goal of justice of holding that person more fully accountable to God, without excuse.     

Fourth, we may be blessed.  “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  Matthew 5:10 .  Rejection may be a sign that we are preaching and teaching the true Gospel.  If we are preaching and teaching a “gospel” focused on man and his goodness and his best life and free-will, then it is not as likely that we will be rejected or even persecuted.  However, if we are preaching and teaching a true Gospel based on the sovereignty and holiness of God and the “totally depraved” nature of man and predestination, then it is more likely that we will be rejected or even persecuted.

 ⁵⁹  And He said to another, “Follow Me.”  But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.”

 ⁶⁰  But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.”

 ⁶¹  Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord;  but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.”

 ⁶²  But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”  Luke 9:57-62.

To all of us, Christ commands us:  “Follow Me.” and “go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” 

Some may obey by leaving their home and going into the mission field.  Others may obey by moving to a different part of our country.  Others may obey by leaving their current employment and working elsewhere.  Others may obey by leaving their church and going to another church.  And, there are certainly other ways that we will apply this Scripture to obey it.

At first, it seems hard that we cannot first tend to family duties such as burying our father.  It seems harder that we cannot say goodbye.  But, it seems hardest that we cannot even look back!  Notice the emphasis of this strict discipleship by the progression from major to minor:  doing an action (burying our father) to words (saying good-bye) to just a glance (looking back).

We can speculate as to the reasons for this strict discipleship.  But, no reasons are given in this Scripture.  This Scripture just concludes:  “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”  

Rather than focus on the reasons for this strict discipleship, which may be “looking back” in a sense, we should focus on following Christ.  We should focus on going and proclaiming everywhere the kingdom of God.  We should trust Christ to make us fit for the kingdom of God.