Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

 ⁴³  Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.”

 ⁴⁴  Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?  I entered your house;  you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

 ⁴⁵  “You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet.

 ⁴⁶  “You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.

 ⁴⁷  “For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much;  but he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

 ⁴⁸  Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.”

 ⁴⁹  Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?”

 ⁵⁰  And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you;  go in peace.”  Luke 7:41-50.

As I read this story, I thought of two groups, two boxes.  I was eager and quick to put myself in the box of the debtor who only owed fifty denarii.  I felt that I am one of the group that only sinned a little and that only needs to be forgiven a little.  After all, I have been a Christian my entire life.  I have sinned only a little, and those few sins have only been little sins.  I am not in the same group as that woman!  I don’t want to be in the same box as that sinner!  

It is amazing, and shows the depth of my sin, that I could feel this way even after reading the two very similar accounts in the Scripture for today.  I have only quoted one account.  The other account is in Luke 7:36-40.  I would rather smugly think of my own self-righteousness and receive no forgiveness than put myself in the same group, the same box, “with that woman!” whose sins were many. 

However, really, there is only one group.  There is only one box.  There is the group of those people whose sins are many and who are in such astonishingly great debt that their only hope is forgiveness and there is need is for much forgiveness.  She is like me! 

As I read this story again, I consider how this woman anointed Jesus’ feet with perfume, mixed in her own tears, and wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair.  How can I show my thanks?!  I cannot do this literally, as this woman did, to show Jesus my thanks for His forgiveness of my many and great sins.

But, I can pray and ask Jesus:  “How can I show my thanks to you like this woman?”

And Jesus tells me:  “I will guide you in the paths of righteousness for My name’s sake.  (Psalm 23:3).  What you do for one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you do it to Me.  (Matthew 25:40).”

 ³³  “For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’

 ³⁴  “The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

 ³⁵  “Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”  Luke 7:31-35.

Like the “men of this generation”, how eager and quick we are today to be critical of others, particularly of fellow Christians!  If someone does not drink, then we criticize him or her as a self-righteous tee-totaler.  If someone does drink, then we criticize him or her as a drunk or a lush. 

If our criticism was limited to criticism of eating and drinking, then the harm would be limited, but we extend our criticism to other areas.  We are eager and quick to box fellow Christians into other groups as well.  For example, we are eager and quick to box fellow Christians into either the group of legalists or the group of antinomians (outlaws*), and thus we harm their message and ministry.  * Click here: Antinomians – Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Let us remember the great differences between John the Baptist and Jesus.  And yet, each had their own unique purpose, message, and ministry.  “Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”  John the Baptist and Jesus were each vindicated by the fruit of their ministry.   

“If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.  And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?  If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?  But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.”  1 Corinthians 12:15-18. 

Romans 14:4
“Who are you to judge the servant of another?  To his own master he stands or falls;  and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”

 ²⁶  “But what did you go out to see?  A prophet?  Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet.

 ²⁷  “This is the one about whom it is written,
         ‘BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU,
         WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.’

 ²⁸  “I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John;  yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”  Luke 7:24-28.

It is interesting to me that Jesus waited until the messengers of John had left, before He began to speak to the crowds about John.  One could think that Jesus would have wanted to give such complements about John in front of these messengers. 

But, I think Jesus often deals with us the same way.  We may want such complements, but Jesus is often stern with us, telling us, in effect, to get back to work.  Jesus will encourage us as is best for us, but He does not want the motivation for our works to primarily be praise from man.

In yesterday’s devotion, Jesus’ answer to the messengers of John seems rather stern.  “When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?'”  …   And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard:  the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.  “Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”  Luke 7:20-23. 

As a baby-boomer with parents and friends of parents in “the greatest generation”,  I often was surprised at how stern they were to me and their other children.  I knew that they loved us, and they would encourage us.  But, it was not as much or as often as we may have wanted.  However, I learned over time that it was for our good, intentional or not.  (They may have felt that they were more lenient and more loving than their parents.)  They did not want us to be soft, self-absorbed, and dependent on the praises of man for our motivation to act righteously and faithfully. 

One Scripture that help me get through my youth, and even now, is Lamentations 3:27:
“It is good for a man that he should bear The yoke in his youth.”

Here is the context.

^“25  The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
         To the person who seeks Him.
    ²⁶  It is good that he waits silently
         For the salvation of the LORD.
    ²⁷  It is good for a man that he should bear
         The yoke in his youth.
    ²⁸  Let him sit alone and be silent
         Since He has laid it on him.
    ²⁹  Let him put his mouth in the dust,
         Perhaps there is hope.”  Lamentations 3:25-29.

 ²⁰  When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?'”

 ²¹  At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits;  and He gave sight to many who were blind.

 ²²  And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard:  the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.

 ²³  “Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”  Luke 7:18-23.  (Emphasis added.)

At first reading and at first thought, it does not make sense that anyone would take offense at him.  After all, “the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM”.  But, yet, we read:  “Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.” 

As Reformed folk, we soon consider that without regeneration, that is without being “born of the Spirit” as discussed in John 3:1-8, without “Irresistible Grace” (the “I” of “TULIP”) we would all take offense at Jesus. 

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;  and I will raise him up on the last day.”  John 6:44.

The “T” of “TULIP”, “Total Depravity” instructs us:  “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 3:10-12. 

That is how wicked we are, without this regeneration.  Even though Jesus would heal us and others, and even though Jesus would bring to us the good news of salvation, we would still hate Him.  We would still take offense at Him.  We certainly know that the “wise” religious Jewish leaders took offense at Jesus.  Even though Jesus was without guilt, and even though Jesus did all this good, they crucified Him. 

Our only “chance” for salvation was not our wisdom.  “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”  1 Corinthians 1:21.  

Our only “chance” for salvation was not our will nor our works.  “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. 

Our only “chance” for salvation was God’s grace.  “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),”  Ephesians 2:4-5.  (Emphasis added.)

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:6-8.

 ⁸  “For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

 ⁹  Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the crowd that was following Him, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”  Luke 7:1-9.  (Emphasis added.)

I  have previously written about how this faith of the centurion can gives us faith in the fulfillment of the Great Commission:  ”Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”  Mark 16:15.  The centurion recognized that Jesus had authority.  “… just say the word, and my servant will be healed.  “For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”  Luke 7:7-8.  Likewise, when Jesus commands His disciples to preach the gospel to every creature, it will be done!  Click here: The Great Commission : “I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, …” « Reformed Doctrine Blog

Today, we go beyond the truth of God’s sovereignty to a study of how this demonstration of faith in God’s sovereignty pleases God.  Here, in verse 9, Jesus exclaims:  “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”

The importance of this Scripture goes way beyond Jesus healing another person.  Jesus healed many.  I have not even included the healing in verse 10 because of such fact.  The healing is almost a presumption, an afterthought.

Jesus focuses on the faith of the centurion, and we should too.

Let us examine two parts of this faith. 

First, such a faith pleases God. 

Hebrews 11:6
“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”  1 Peter 1:6-7. 

Second, such a faith proclaims the sovereignty of God.   

The centurion proclaimed the sovereignty of God:  “… just say the word, and my servant will be healed.  “For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”  Luke 7:7-8. 

Abraham proclaimed the sovereignty of God.  “Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb;  yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.  Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”  Romans 4:19-22.  (Emphasis is also added.)

When you, Reformed folk, preach and teach TULIP, you too proclaim the sovereignty of God and demonstrate your faith and please God.  Thank you.

 ⁴⁸  he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.

 ⁴⁹  “But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”  Luke 6:46-49.  (Emphasis added.)

We all experience those floods.  They often come suddenly and unexpectedly.  They seem overwhelming.

When those floods come, it is often too late to make adequate preparations for defense.  We can do a little, but we often can not prevent the brunt of the force.  Whether or not our foundation rests fully and “flush”, solidly and exclusively on Christ, our Rock, will determine whether or not our house will stand.

Oh, yes, our foundation may touch Christ.  But, our foundation may also lean on what we think are the best spiritual thoughts of other religions.  Our foundation may also lean on what our family and friends believe.  Our foundation may also lean on our own wisdom.  Our foundation may also lean on our own willpower.  Our foundation may also lean on our own “free will”.

Think of what would happen to a house if it leans on different multiple contacts that could give way.  Will a builder be satisfied that part of his house, even the majority of his house, is not over a sink-hole?  Will the fact that the house leans on one secure contact save it?  No.  That is why a builder will want to make sure that the foundation of his house rests fully and “flush”, solidly and exclusively on rock or other sufficiently solid earth.

Psalm 22:4
In You our fathers trusted;  They trusted and You delivered them.

Psalm 40:4
How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.

Psalm 44:6
For I will not trust in my bow, Nor will my sword save me.

Psalm 52:6-8 
    ^“6  The righteous will see and fear,
         And will laugh at him, saying,
     ⁷  “Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge,
         But trusted in the abundance of his riches
         And was strong in his evil desire.”
     ⁸  But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
         I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.”

Psalm 62:8
Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him;  God is a refuge for us. Selah.

Psalm 84:12
O LORD of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in You!

 ⁴¹  “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

 ⁴²  “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.”  Luke 6:39-42.

In a small non-denominational church that I attended years ago, the Pastor would invite certain men of the congregation to preach when he could not do so.  I remember one man, a “Hollywood” type, who welcomed such opportunities.  He was handsome, dressed well, and could speak loud and clearly.  He was charming and witty.  But, he did not know understand the truth of Scriptures.  He was figuratively blind. 

And, the problem is, as verse 38 above states, a blind man will lead other blind men into the pit of false doctrine.  However, the Pastor seemed more concerned about either not offending this lay leader or about giving everyone a chance to preach. 

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.  Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest.  Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”  Hosea 4:6

Thus, first, we see the importance of understanding the truth of Scripture in  a Preacher or Teacher.

There is a difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge.  Someone may have memorized the Reformed confessions, even large parts of Scripture, and be able to answer any question.  He may think that he is smarter than his teacher.  But, when persecution or other pressure comes upon himself and his flock, will he react in a way consistent with such Reformed confessions and Scripture? 

Has the fire of sufficient experiences driven out the impurities in the Preacher or Teacher to make him like gold?  Can a metal be purer than gold, or should it be content to be pure gold?

There is reason for the Scripture calling for deacons to have such experience and not be “…a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.”  1 Timothy 3:6. 

Verse 39 above, summarized by the statement “A pupil is not above his teacher.”, calls for humility in a Preacher or Teacher. 

“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’  If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you;  if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.”  John 15:20.

Thus, second, we see the importance of experience and humility in a Preacher and Teacher.  

The lessons of verses 41 and 42 about not being a hyprocrite seem so obvious.  Someone who preaches or teaches in a certain area should demonstrate by his own life a command over that subject.

For instance, it is almost laughable when we see fat personal trainers in a gym.  It is almost laughable when we see car mechanics drive their own personal car which seems to be struggling to proceed down the street. 

But, it inflames us in anger when we see strict Preachers and Teachers fall into the same sin in which they condemned so loud and which they showed no mercy toward members of their flock. 

If a Preacher or Teacher does not have a certain command over that subject area, would not it be better to let someone else (who has a demonstrated by his life a better command over that subject) preach or teach on that area, at least until that time when that Preacher or Teacher obtains a better command over that subject area?

Thus, third, we see the importance of not being a hyprocrite.   

James 3:1 provides a very sobering conclusion.  “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.”