Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 
      “Glory to God in the highest,
       And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”  Luke 2:10-14.  (Emphasis added.) 

The title of this devotion is “Love, Joy, and Peace”.  You can see the joy and peace in verses 10 and 14.  The love is in John 3:16.  “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.”  (Emphasis added.)

I think that sometimes we are be so intent on maintaining that God does not love everyone, although it is true although it is true that God does not love everyone, that we fail to sufficiently appreciate God’s love for us, His elect. 

I think that sometimes we are so intent on maintaining that God does not show grace and favor to everyone, although it is true that God does not show grace and favor to everyone, that we fail to sufficiently appreciate God’s grace and favor on us, His elect.

I think that sometimes we are so intent on maintaining that God does not give real joy and peace to everyone, although it is true that God does not give real joy and peace to everyone, that we fail to sufficiently appreciate the real joy and peace that God gives to us, His elect. 

We know the Scripture of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem so well that sometimes we read it as if our eyes gloss over the words such that we fail to sufficiently appreciate this love, joy, and peace.

We would do well today to meditate on this love, joy, and peace and remember that it is for us, the elect.  Most of all, we appreciate the love, joy, and peace of the salvation of our souls.

I have said before that he who comes to God and has faith “must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”  Hebrews 11:6. 

Do we have the faith of a child at Christmas who sincerely and wholeheartedly believes that his father will give him good Christmas gifts?

Do we reveal our joy or suppress it?

And yet, our minds are not set on the Cadillac nor set on the vacation or retirement.  We may appreciate these things, and we often do get to enjoy those good things whether we own them or not* (see postscript below), but our mind is set on things above.  “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”  Colossians 3:2-3. 

Our love is in the Lord.  “… the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  Romans 5:5. 

Our joy is in the Lord.  “Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones;  And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.”  Psalm 32:11

Our peace is in the Lord.  “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:7

In other words, someone may look at our situation and not comprehend why we have such peace, love, and joy, but we do have it.  The outward physical facts of our situation may not warrant such love, joy, and peace, but we have it, and we show it.  The Holy Spirit within us produces the fruit of “… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control …”  Galatians 5:22-23. 

* Post-Script – I also think that we fail to fully appreciate good things that we get to enjoy, but we do not own them. 

                            

Do we truly need to own the Cadillac?   We don’t need to own the Cadillac to enjoy a ride in the Cadillac.  

 

Do we truly enjoy a vacation in someone else’s vacation home?  We don’t need to own the vacation home to be a guest and enjoy it.  We don’t need to even be a guest in the vacation house to enjoy the view provided by public parks and views. 

                                      

It is not the intent of this devotion to neglect our responsibility to realize and enjoy the good physical things that God has given us.  Sometimes, if not most times, we get to enjoy those things as a non-owner. 

 

Lack of ownership is not all bad, because those “non-owned” good physical things are likely to be newer and fresher and more enjoyable to us than they are to the owner who is used to them and we do not have the responsibility to maintain those things.    

We can profit by imitating what John the Baptist would do:  “PREPARE HIS WAYS;  To give to His people the knowledge of salvation“.  “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.”  Hebrews 13:7  “And Paul said, “I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains.”  Acts 26:29

The importance of the knowledge of salvation can be seen in verses such as Romans 10:2-3:  “For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.  For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.”  Hosea 4:6 states:  “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.”   

I was delighted to see the new design for the cover of The Standard Bearer, the publication of the Protestant Reformed Churches.  It has tulips on the cover!  As we know, the acronym of TULIP summarizes the glorious and joyful truth of the knowledge of salvation:  “Total Depravity”, “Unconditional Election”, “Limited Atonement”, “Irresistible Grace”, and “Perseverance of the Saints a/k/a Preservation of the Saints”. 

I am disappointed to see TULIP dismissed, minimized, or marginalized.  Some say:  “There is so much more to Reformed Doctrine than TULIP.”  While it is true, I am very skeptical of such statements.  I think such a statement is like not using a person’s name when addressing them.  It reveals a lack of love and appreciation for the name.  It reveals a lack of desire to provide a very helpful keyword to help people know and remember and talk about the knowledge of salvation. 

The importance of coming to an understanding of knowledge of salvation and a restful faith in it, rather than just knowing everything, can be seen in John 5:39-40.  “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life;  it is these that testify about Me;  and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.”  There are those who are “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  2 Timothy 3:7

Sometimes, I think some Pastors care more about and are content with their congregation coming to church every Sunday, and even twice on Sunday, and of course, paying tithes and offerings, than they care about what their congregation really knows and what they can communicate effectively to others. 

Sometimes, I think that rather than encouraging individual members of their congregation in their attempts to understand and communicate simple basic points of salvation such as TULIP, some Pastors rather show their own superiority of knowledge. 

Jesus would rightly condemn these Pastors as he did the scribes and Pharisees of His day.  “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people;  for you do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.”  Matthew 23:13.  “They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.”  Matthew 23:4.

Will we be like these Pastors, scribes and Pharisees?  Or, will we be like John the Baptist? 

Will we prepare the way to salvation for people by making good and helpful signs like TULIP?  Or, will we just give them a Bible? 

Will we give people the knowledge of salvation?  Or, will we just show off our own knowledge? 

Will we bear their burdens and gently blow on the dimly burning wick and encourage them in any way that we can?  Or, will we lay burden upon burden upon them and extinguish their flickering interest in the knowledge of salvation? 

May God help us all!

^“All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?”  For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.”  Luke 1:66.  (Emphasis added.)

What a wonderful thing for the hand of the Lord to be with John the Baptist!                                         

What a wonderful thing for the hand of the Lord to be with us!

In Acts 11:21, we read:  “And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. 

There are so many references to the hand of the Lord.  Here are just a few from the Book of Psalms-

Psalm 9:16
“The LORD has made Himself known;  He has executed judgment.  In the work of his own hands the wicked is snared.  Higgaion Selah.”

Psalm 20:6
“Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed;  He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand.”

Psalm 92:4
“For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.”  (Emphasis added.)

There is also this warning:

^“Requite them according to their work and according to the evil of their practices;
         Requite them according to the deeds of their hands;
         Repay them their recompense. 
    Because they do not regard the works of the LORD
         Nor the deeds of His hands,
         He will tear them down and not build them up.”  Psalm 28:4-6.

 ³²  “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High;  and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;

 ³³  and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”  Luke 1:31-33.

In my devotion yesterday, I gave my testimony about attending, being a member, and even a lay leader, of a wide range of different Protestant churches.  I stated:  “At first, I did not realize that Reformed doctrine would not necessarily be preached in all Christian Protestant churches.  I thought that the problem was just with a particular minister …”. 

Even though one would expect that there would be a wide range of different doctrine taught in these different churches, there was a common theme that just did not feel right to me.  There was a focus on man and what man should do and the alleged free will of man. 

It was subtle.  Not one of these churches would deny that God was sovereign and that God was in control.  Even yesterday, I drove past a church that I know is very Arminian, and there is a sign outside which reads:  “Don’t worry.  God is in control.”  These churches paid “lip-service” to God’s sovereignty, but that “lip-service” made the overall sermons and teachings all that more deceptive and disturbing.  I learned that the conclusion or “crescendo” of the sermon revealed the heart of such doctrine, and the conclusion and “crescendo” was always:  “Now, this is what we need to do for the Lord.”  

In sharp contrast to the man-centered doctrine in these churches, I read the simple, undiluted, powerful and God-centered message of this Scripture today:  “… the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;   and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”  Luke 1:32-33.  Later, we read in verse 37:  “For nothing will be impossible with God.”  

Doesn’t the following Scripture ring true?!  Doesn’t the following Scripture likewise focus on the sovereignty of God?  Doesn’t the following Scripture likewise prophesy on the reign of Christ?!  Doesn’t the following Scripture prophesy on how man tries to resist (but without success) the sovereignty of God?!  

^“2  The kings of the earth take their stand
         And the rulers take counsel together
         Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
    ³  “Let us tear their fetters apart
         And cast away their cords from us!”
    ⁴  He who sits in the heavens laughs,
         The Lord scoffs at them.
    ⁵  Then He will speak to them in His anger
         And terrify them in His fury, saying,
    ⁶  “But as for Me, I have installed My King
         Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
    ⁷  “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD:
         He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
         Today I have begotten You.
    ⁸  ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
         And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
    ⁹  ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
         You shall shatter them like earthenware.'”
    ¹⁰  Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
         Take warning, O judges of the earth.
    ¹¹  Worship the LORD with reverence
         And rejoice with trembling.
    ¹²  Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
         For His wrath may soon be kindled
         How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”  Psalm 2:2-12. 

 ²⁰  “And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”  Luke 1:18-20.  (Emphasis added.)

Yes, we can see and should see just how many have fallen away from the truth.  But, we can take hope and courage from the fact that the Lord is their God.  Read again Luke 1:16:  “And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.”  (Emphasis added.)

Notice also the contrast between the “I am”s.  In the Scripture for today, compare “I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.” with “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God”.  Consider the inference that we should not focus on ourselves (and our inabilities) but rather we should focus on God (and His ability).

Even when we read the dismal spiritual condition of the people of Israel in the Book of Malachi, Malachi starts out with this hope.  “I have loved you,” says the LORD.  But you say, “How have You loved us?”  “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD.  “Yet I have loved Jacob;”  Malachi 1:2.  The Lord is the God of Jacob.   

Salvation belongs to the LORD.  “And He saw that there was no man, And was astonished that there was no one to intercede;  Then His own arm brought salvation to Him, And His righteousness upheld Him.”  Isaiah 59:16

My testimony is in the tag “About Me”, above here at my Reformed Doctrine blog web set.  Click here: About me « Reformed Doctrine Blog

“Although I grew up in the Christian Reformed Church in Muskegon, Michigan, I moved to Florida in 1977 to go to law school, and I stayed here in Florida.  I attended and was a member, even a lay leader, in a large range of churches from Assembly of God to Baptist to Calvary Chapel to United Methodist to nondenominational churches and small fellowships.  At first, I did not realize that Reformed doctrine would not necessarily be preached in all Christian Protestant churches.  I thought that the problem was just with a particular minister.  Eventually, a childhood friend, who now lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, asked me if I remembered “TULIP”.  I began to study TULIP.  …”   

Although I had drifted away from the truth, the Lord was still my God.  God used my friend Harry to turn me back the Lord my God with the short and simple question:  “Do you remember TULIP?”.  

In conclusion, my testimony should give hope and encouragement to all of us.  First, we can focus on God.  Second, we can remember that although many have drifted away from the truth, the Lord is still their God.  Third, salvation belongs to the Lord, and He will often use humble means to do His work within us, sometimes only using a short and simple question. 

 ¹⁴  “You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

 ¹⁵  “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb.

 ¹⁶  “And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.

 ¹⁷  “It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”  Luke 1:13-17.  (Emphasis added.) 

When I read this Scripture, I thought how great it was that John the Baptist turned many back to the Lord their God.  

As we lament how many have drifted away from the truth, particularly the truth of Reformed doctrine, wouldn’t it be great if we could turn many back to the Lord their God?!    

I wondered about the spiritual condition of Israel before John the Baptist did his work.

I read again the last book of the Old Testament which is the Book of Malachi, and it detailed the spiritual condition of Israel before John the Baptist did his work.  The Book of Malachi also concludes with the prophecy of the birth and life of John the Baptist which is quoted in our Scripture for today.  “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD.  “He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.”  Malachi 4:5-6. 

The Book of Malachi contains some very specific and interesting details of the spiritual condition of Israel before John the Baptist did his work.  What was the spiritual condition of Israel at that time?  We will look at five details. 

Worship was not revered and conducted as it should have been.  “You are presenting defiled food upon My altar.  …”  Malachi 1:7.

Teaching and instruction by the priests was not conducted as it should have been.  “… you have caused many to stumble by the instruction;  you have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of hosts.  … just as you are not keeping My ways but are showing partiality in the instruction.”  Malachi 2:8-9.

The people were not faithful to their spouse.  “…against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.  “But not one has done so who has a remnant of the Spirit.  And what did that one do while he was seeking a godly offspring?  Take heed then to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of your youth.  “For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with wrong,” says the LORD of hosts. “So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.”  Malachi 2:14-16.

The people did not tithe and give offerings as they should.  “Will a man rob God?  Yet you are robbing Me!  But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’  In tithes and offerings.”  Malachi 3:8.      

The people did not discipline the guilty nor encourage each other about the rewards of faithfully serving the LORD.  “Your words have been arrogant against Me,” says the LORD.  “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’  “You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked in mourning before the LORD of hosts?  ‘So now we call the arrogant blessed;  not only are the doers of wickedness built up but they also test God and escape.'”  Malachi 3:13-15. 

 ³  They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”

 ⁴  Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large.

 ⁵  Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe;  and they were amazed.

 ⁸  They went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them;  and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

 ⁹  Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons.

 ¹⁰  She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping.

 ¹¹  When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they refused to believe it.

 ¹²  After that, He appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking along on their way to the country.

 ¹³  They went away and reported it to the others, but they did not believe them either.”  Mark 16:1-13.  

“Let us see the forest from the trees.”

1.  “they saw that the stone had been rolled away”, and they still did not believe.

2.  “Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe”, and they still did not believe.

3.  This angel told them “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified.  He has risen”, and they still did not believe.

4.  “They went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them;  and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”

5.  Jesus “first appeared to Mary Magdalene”, and they still did not believe.

6.  “When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they refused to believe it.”  

7.  “They went away and reported it to the others, but they did not believe them either.”      

We need help to believe.  We need a lot of help to believe.  We need miraculous help to believe. 

As we read this Scripture, I think we sometimes gloss over this initial lack of faith.  We know that they all later had great faith.  But, I think it is helpful to really consider what the Scripture in front of you is emphasizing.  And, it seems to me that this Scripture is emphasizing this initial lack of faith. 

Why is this Scripture emphasizing this initial lack of faith?  I see two reasons.  You may see more reasons.

First, this Scripture has the ring of truth.  No one had ever seen a resurrection with possibly a few exceptions like Lazarus and a few other miracles of resurrection that Jesus had performed.  Moreover, their minds were still filled and dominated by the public and horrific suffering and death of Jesus.  It is entirely true and understandable that there would be this initial lack of faith. 

Second, this Scripture helps us today to come to grips with our lack of faith.  If Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome, the disciples, and others (who all were followers of Jesus and who were eye-witnesses of the miracles of Jesus and who were listeners to Jesus who strongly repeated his prophesy of his death and resurrection) had such trouble believing, then it helps us (about 2,000 years later) to understand that we are not alone in struggling to believe.  

Think about it.  We have just read about the suffering of Jesus.  It is not hard to believe the suffering.  We have just read about the death of Jesus.  It is not hard to believe the death of Jesus.  We have just read about the burial of Jesus.  It is not hard to believe the burial of Jesus.  And now, we are reading about the resurrection of Jesus.  But, it is real hard to believe the resurrection of Jesus. 

So, what should we do?  Should we just “suck it up” and try harder to believe???

Rather than just try harder to believe, I think that we need to focus on “total depravity” and admit that we need a miracle to believe.

Isaiah 53:1 asks (with the inference that no one believed):  “Who has believed our message?  And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?”  It later states:  “He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;  And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.”  Isaiah 53:3.  “All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way;  But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.”  Isaiah 53:6.  (Emphasis added.) 

We need miraculous resurrection power to believe.  

Ephesians 1:19-20 refers to “… the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.  These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,”   

We need to pull out The Canons of Dordt and read again Article 8 of the “SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men Thereby”:

Article 8.  For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of his Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation:  that is, 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; should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing; and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the enjoyment of glory in his own presence forever.  (Emphasis added.)  

This Article 8 teaches us that “justifying faith” is a gift of God. 

Hopefully, the Scripture for today about the initial lack of faith will help us to better understand that “justifying faith” is a gift of God.