Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

²⁸  for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.”  Matthew 26:26-28. 

Here is what the Heidelberg Catechism states:

OF THE HOLY SUPPER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

XXVIII. LORD’S DAY.

Question 75. How are thou admonished and assured in the Lord’s Supper, that thou are a partaker of that one sacrifice of Christ, accomplished on the cross, and of all his benefits?

Answer. Thus: That Christ has commanded me and all believers, to eat of this broken bread, and to drink of this cup, in remembrance of him, [a] adding these promises: first, that his body was offered and broken on the cross for me, and his blood shed for me, as certainly as I see with my eyes, the bread of the Lord broken for me, and the cup communicated to me; and further, that he feeds and nourishes my soul to everlasting life, with his crucified body and shed blood, as assuredly as I receive from the hands of the minister, and taste with my mouth the bread and cup of the Lord, as certain signs of the body and blood of Christ.

Question 76. What is it then to eat the crucified body, and drink the shed blood of Christ?

Answer. It is only to embrace with a believing heart all the sufferings and death of Christ, and thereby to [b] obtain the pardon of sin, and life eternal; but also, besides that, to become more and more [c] united to his sacred body, by the Holy Ghost, who dwells both in Christ and in us; [d] so that we, though Christ is in heaven and we on earth, are notwithstanding “Flesh of his flesh, and bone [e] of his bone”; and that we live, [f] and are governed forever by one spirit, as members of the same body are by one soul.

Question 77. Where has Christ promised that he will as certainly feed and nourish believers with his body and blood, as they eat of this broken bread, and drink of this cup?

Answer. In the institution of the supper, which is thus expressed: [g] “The Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said: eat, this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying: this [h] cup is the new testament in my blood; [i] this do ye, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For, as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.” This promise is repeated by the holy apostle Paul, where he says: [j] “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, being many, are one bread and one body; because we are all partakers of that one bread.”

[a]: Mat. 26:26,27,28; Mark 14:22,23,24; Luke 22:19,20; 1Cor. 10:16,17; 1Cor 11:23,24,25
[b]: John 6:35,40,47,48,50,51,53,54
[c]: John 6:55,56
[d]: Acts 3:21; Acts 1:9,10,11; 1Cor 11:26
[e]: Eph. 5:29,30,31,32; 1Cor. 6:15,17,19; 1John 3:24
[f]: John 6:56,57,58; Eph. 4:15,16
[g]: 1Cor. 11:23; Mat. 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19
[h]: Ex. 24:8; Heb. 9:20
[i]: Ex. 13:9; 1Cor. 11:26
[j]: 1Cor. 10:16,17

 ³⁵  ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;”  Matthew 25:33-35.

We see two things in these three verses.  The Judgment will be just.  The Judgment will be based on election.     

The Judgment will be just in the sense that the good will be rewarded and the bad will be punished.  The good are represented by the sheep, and the bad are represented by the goats.  They will be separated and sent in opposite directions.  The good (the sheep) will receive eternal life.  The bad (the goats) will receive eternal  punishment.  Those who do good (feed the hungry, visited the sick etc.) will receive eternal life.  Those who do bad (did not feed the hungry, did not visit the sick etc.) will receive eternal punishment.  “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”  Matthew 25:46.

The Judgment will be based on election.  There are those who are blessed from God who will inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world.

As Reformed folk, we tend to emphasize “unconditional election”, the “U” in “TULIP”.  It is right that we do so, because election is emphasized in Scripture.  But, we should not neglect the fact that the Judgment will also be just.  We should not neglect that we should do good.  However, we should look to the Holy Spirit to produce the good fruit.  See Galatians Chapter 5.

In other words, we need to both trust the promises of God, and we need to do good.  We trust the promise of election.  We do good.

2 Peter 1:2-11 helps us.  Notice how it starts with the promises of God (“seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness”).  Notice how it finishes (“in your faith, supply moral excellence … brotherly kindness, love.”).  I emphasize “in your faith”, because it is only through our faith that we are able to do these good things.      

^“2  Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;

 ³  seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

 ⁴  For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

 ⁵  Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,

 ⁶  and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,

 ⁷  and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.

 ⁸  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.

 ⁹  For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.

 ¹⁰  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;

 ¹¹  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 1:2-11.

²⁸  ‘Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’

 ²⁹  “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.

 ³⁰  “Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  Matthew 25:26-30. 

The statement that God reaps where He does not sow and gathers where He scattered no seeds can be puzzling.  It does not mean (as some Arminians may contend) that God is not active to sovereignly accomplish His purpose but rather lets man’s free will determine whether or not God recovers anything.  In truth, God is sovereign and accomplishes all of His purpose.  Rather, the statement means that it appears as if God does not sow nor scatter seeds.  We all have considered “The invisible hand of God”.  Man works hard and grunts loud and stirs up dust to do his work.  God works silently, effortlessly, and invisibly.  Man proceeds step by step from A to B to C.  God lays A to Z out at once.  Man is proud and immediately boasts of every little accomplishment.  God is humble and patient and lets His own works boast of Him.         

The statement that “everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away” can also be puzzling.  It does not mean  that God randomly and arbitrarily gives and takes away.  God does reward and punish as this parable teaches.  Rather, the statement means that it appears as if “the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer”.  Life may seem unfair, but this parable makes it clear that God does reward and punish both in this earthly life and thereafter.  Again, we all have considered “The “invisible hand of God”.  But, God’s purpose will be established.  God will accomplish all of His good pleasure.        

Consider Isaiah 46: 9-11:
“Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘ My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure‘;
Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.”

“Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;
but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 9: 23-24.

⁴⁴  “For this reason you also must be ready;  for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

 ⁴⁵  “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time?

 ⁴⁶  “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.

 ⁴⁷  “Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

 ⁴⁸  “But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’

 ⁴⁹  and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards;

 ⁵⁰  the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know,

 ⁵¹  and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  Matthew 24:42-51.

This message is simple and clear.  “”Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”  Matthew 24:42.  Verses 46 though 51 show the judgment.

The Apostle’s Creed simply states:  “… he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.”   

The Belgic Confession covers this Last Judgment at length in Article 37.  It states in part:  “…  the dead (will be) judged according to what they shall have done in this world, whether it be good or evil. Nay, all men shall give an account of every idle word they have spoken, which the world only counts amusement and jest: and then the secrets and hypocrisy of men shall be disclosed and laid open before all. And therefore the consideration of this judgment, is justly terrible and dreadful to the wicked and ungodly, but most desirable and comfortable to the righteous and elect: because then their full deliverance shall be perfected, and there they shall receive the fruits of their labor and trouble which they have borne. Their innocence shall be known to all, and they shall see the terrible vengeance which God shall execute on the wicked, who most cruelly persecuted, oppressed and tormented them in this world; and who shall be convicted by the testimony of their own consciences, and being immortal, shall be tormented in that everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels. But on the contrary, the faithful and elect shall be crowned with glory and honor; and the Son of God will confess their names before God his Father, and his elect angels; all tears shall be wiped from their eyes; and their cause which is now condemned by many judges and magistrates, as heretical and impious, will then be known to be the cause of the Son of God. And for a gracious reward, the Lord will cause them to possess such a glory, as never entered into the heart of man to conceive. Therefore we expect that great day with a most ardent desire to the end that we may fully enjoy the promises of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. AMEN.”

Here is the link to all of Article 37 – Click here: The Belgic Confession of Faith

The Heidelberg Catechism focuses on the comfort to the believer of this judgment: 

“Question 52. What comfort is it to thee that “Christ shall come again to judge the quick and the dead”?

Answer.   That in all my sorrows and persecutions, with uplifted head I look for the very same person, who before offered himself for my sake, to the tribunal of God, and has removed all curse from me, to come as judge from heaven: who shall cast all his and my enemies into everlasting condemnation, but shall translate  me with all his chosen ones to himself, into heavenly joys and glory.”

³⁹  “For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'”  Matthew 23:37-39.

Calvin in his Commentary on these verses states in part: 

“Christ therefore utters a pathetic exclamation at a sight so monstrous, as that the holy city of God should have arrived at such a pitch of madness, that it had long endeavored to extinguish the saving doctrine of God by shedding the blood of the prophets. This is also implied in the repetition of the name, because impiety so monstrous and incredible deserves no ordinary detestation.”  …

For the participle, (ἀποκτείνουσα τοὺς προφήτας), (killing the prophets,) is put for an epithet; as if Christ had said, “Thou who oughtest to have been a faithful guardian of the word of God, a teacher of heavenly wisdom, the light of the world, the fountain of sound doctrine, the seat of divine worship, a pattern of faith and obedience, art a murderer of the prophets, so that thou hast acquired a certain habit of sucking their blood.” Hence it is evident, that they who had so basely profaned the sanctuary of God deserved every kind of reproaches. …

How often would I have gathered together thy children. This is expressive of indignation rather than of compassion. …

As a hen collecteth her brood under her wings. We now perceive the reason why Christ, speaking in the person of God, compares himself to a hen. It is to inflict deeper disgrace on this wicked nation, which had treated with disdain invitations so gentle, and proceeding from more than maternal kindness. …

Again, when the sophists seize on this passage, to prove free will, and to set aside the secret predestination of God, the answer is easy. “God wills to gather all men,” say they; “and therefore all are at liberty to come, and their will does not depend on the election of God.” I reply: The will of God, which is here mentioned, must be judged from the result. For since by his word he calls all men indiscriminately to salvation, and since the end of preaching is, that all should betake themselves to his guardianship and protection, it may justly be said that he wills to gather all to himself. It is not, therefore, the secret purpose of God, but his will, which is manifested by the nature of the word, that is here described; for, undoubtedly, whomsoever he efficaciously wills to gather, he inwardly draws by his Spirit, and does not merely invite by the outward voice of man.  …

God wills to gather all, that all who do not come may be inexcusable.  …”

Quickly, in regards to last comment by Calvin, it is God’s will that everyone be held accountable.  ^“Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;  because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.”  Romans 3:19-20. 

The passionate exclamation by Christ is not a lament in the sense that God’s will was unfulfilled.  As stated by Calvin, the passionate exclamation of Christ was an expression of indignation rather than compassion.  It was an exclamation of how pathetic and monstrous was the actions of Jerusalem. 

We also must remember the context of these verses which are the subject of today’s devotion.  The context is a series of “Woes to the scribes and Pharisees” which clearly show Christ’s indignation and proclamation of just punishment.  “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?”  Matthew 23:33.     

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 gives us a good and clear insight into the will of God.  It is not the will of God that the scribes and Pharisees be able to achieve salvation through their own wisdom.  It is the will of God that salvation be given through the grace of God and the power of God so that no man may boast before God.     

“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

 For it is written,
         “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE,
         AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.”

Where is the wise man?  Where is the scribe?  Where is the debater of this age?  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

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.

For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom;  but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

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 1:18-31.

³¹  “So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

 ³²  “Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers.

 ³³  “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?

 ³⁴  “Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes;  some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city,

 ³⁵  so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

 ³⁶  “Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.”  Matthew 23:29-36.

Here, Jesus directly confronts and condemns the actions of the scribes and Pharisees, and Jesus proclaims their just punishment.  In Matthew Chapter 21, Jesus used the parable of the Landowner  and the Vinegrowers to describe their actions and the punishment:  ” “The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third.  “Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them.  “But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’  “But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’  “They took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.  “Therefore when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?”  They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”  Matthew 21:35-41.

But again, Jesus here shows His righteous and just anger at the actions of the scribes and Pharisees, and Jesus proclaims their just punishment.  We need to be careful that we form our image of Jesus based on Scripture rather than based on our own preferences for how we want to think of Jesus. 

Many may prefer to think of Jesus as just a mild and kind teacher.  They may over-emphasize Jesus’ interest in and actions of lovingkindness, and they may neglect Jesus’ interest in and actions of justice. 

We need to pay attention and meditate on Scripture such as Isaiah 42:1:  “Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold;  My chosen one in whom My soul delights I have put My Spirit upon Him;  He will bring forth justice to the nations.”  (Emphasis added.)

Psalm 2 gives us an understanding of the just and sovereign reign of our Lord:

   “¹  Why are the nations in an uproar
         And the peoples devising a vain thing?
    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!”

²⁷  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

 ²⁸  “So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”  Matthew 23:25-28. 

Let us continue to compare the Pharisees with Jesus. 

The Pharisees “clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence”.  The Pharisees “are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness”.

Whereas, our Lord cleans us from the inside out.  “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.”  John 15:3  “… Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”  Ephesians 5:25-27. 

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”  Romans 8:11

In sharp black and white contrast to the “robbery”, “self-indulgence”, “dead men’s bones”, and “all uncleanness” inside the Pharisees, the Christian is cleansed and filled with the Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit which “is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control …”  Galatians 5:22-23.

We have recently seen that Jesus has given attention to these “weightier provisions of the law”.  Jesus gave us the greatest commandments which are a summary of how we should act toward God and man. 

” “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”  And He said to him, ” ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’  “This is the great and foremost commandment.  “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’  “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”  Matthew 22:36-40.

In the Old Testament, we also read from the prophet Micah.  “He has told you, O man, what is good;  And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?”  Micah 6:8

Although Jesus makes it clear that we should not neglect the less weightier provisions of the law, Jesus recognized the dangers of an over-emphasis of those less weightier provisions of the law.  Like the Pharisees, we can become self-righteous and full of pride at our obedience to these minor provisions of the law.  We can also manipulate the minor provisions of the law to excuse our non-compliance with the more weightier provisions of the law.  We can simply care more about ourselves and how we appear to others than we care about others.

But when we focus on what is most important (love God above all and love our neighbors as ourself), when we do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God, we can better see how the minor commandments and less weightier provisions of the law help us to do what is most important.  We then appreciate all of the law more.  We don’t see just numerous requirements and duties.  We see the integrity and the beauty of the law.        

^“7  The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;
         The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 
 ⁸  The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
         The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 
 ⁹  The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
         The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. 
¹⁰  They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
         Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. 
¹¹  Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
         In keeping them there is great reward.”  Psalm 19:7-11.