Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

As you may have noticed from a prior post, the Daily Confession web site provides spiritual vitamins or bite-size nuggets of Reformed creeds and confessions.  The link is in the right margin under links and is also provided here in the text – Click here: Daily Confession . 

Here is the Daily Confession for today –

Belgic Confession, week 8

February 25, 2009

As some of you may know, I am daily reading through Scripture in its order.  Today’s devotion included I Timothy 2:1-6 which is quoted below. 

Some Arminians (people who reject the Five Points of Calvinism also known as “TULIP”, particularly “Limited Atonement”) cut out and paste verses 4 and 6 in contending that God wants to save everyone and that Christ died for everyone.  But, does “all” in Scripture always mean every member without exception?  We will primarily look at the context of the six uses of “all” in this Scripture passage, although you can certainly discern throughout Scripture that the uses of the word “all” elsewhere in Scripture DOES NOT always mean every member without exception.  

Let us read this Scripture passage, and I have highlighted every use of “all” in this passage.  

“1  First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,

 ²  for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

 ³  This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

 ⁴  who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

 ⁵  For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

 ⁶  who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.”  1 Timothy 2:1-6. 

In the first “all” as in “first of all”, did Paul intend that he was going to list every one without exception of the things that he intended to urge?  Of course not!  The reader understands that he was only going to urge some things.  

In the second “all” as in “all men”, did Paul intend that we make entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, for every man without exception?  No, I don’t think so.  The following verse specifically states those about whom Paul was speaking:   “for kings and all who are in authority”.  Also, in the prior verse of 1 Timothy 1:20, Paul states:  “Among these are  Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.”  Although maybe some specific prayer was even appropriate for Hymenaeus and Alexander, it does not seem like Paul intended to include them (even though they also were men) in his general statement:  “I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,” 

In the third “all” as in “ for kings and all who are in authority”, did Paul intend that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of every king and every one in authority without exception?  No.  The following verse shows the purpose of these entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings:  “so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity”.  Should we have prayed for success for Hitler as he was blitzkrieging across western Europe?  Should we have given thanks for his success?  Of course not!  The point that I am trying to make is that the reader understands or should understand that the stated purpose is a limitation on the word “all”.  The purpose of such prayers is that we may lead a “tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity”.    

In the fourth “all” as in “all godliness and dignity”, did Paul intend to imply that we are able to “lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity”?  Of course not!  The reader understands that we will not be perfect in godliness and dignity until we reach Heaven.  The reader understands that Paul means that the purpose of such prayers is that we be given better opportunities with such a tranquil and quiet life to engage in more and better types of godliness and dignity.

In the fifth “all” as in “who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth”, did Paul intend to imply that God desires to save all men without exception and God desires all men without exception to come to the knowledge of the truth?  No.  We have seen in a prior post titled “The Love of the Truth” in II Thessalonians 2:10 that there are those who did not receive the love of the truth to be saved:  “and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.”  We have even seen in the following verse that:  “For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false,”  II Thessalonians 2:11.  We have seen in II Thessalonians 2:13 that God has chosen some for salvation through faith in the truth:  “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” 

In the sixth “all” as in “who gave Himself as a ransom for all“, did Paul intend to imply that Christ actually gave Himself up for every human without exception.  No. 

It is important that we consider the context and compare Scripture carefully.  When we do so, we will conclude that “all” in Scripture does not always mean every member without exception.  We should not be satisfied finding one or a few verses and think:  “Ah hah!  Gotcha!”.  2 Timothy 2: 15 exhorts us:  “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”  

As some of you may know, I am daily reading through Scripture in its order.  Today’s devotion included I Timothy 1:8-11 which is quoted below.

^“But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.”  I Timothy 1:8-11.  (Emphasis added.)

Regarding the phrase “law is not made for a righteous person”, this Scripture is consistent with Galatians 3:24-25:  “Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.  But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”

Regarding the phrase “law is not made for a righteous person”, this Scripture is consistent with Galatians 2:16-17:  “nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.  “But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be!  “For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor.  “For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God.”

Regarding the phrase “law is not made for a righteous person”, this Scripture is consistent with Romans 7:6-11:  “But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.  What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.”  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.”

Regarding the phrase “law is not made for a righteous person”, this Scripture is consistent with Galatians 5, verses 4, 5, 18, 22, and 23:  “You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.  For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.  … But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.  … But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Although there are more consistent Scriptures, I will conclude this article with Paul’s testimony in the same chapter of I Timothy 1 which is consistent with the phrase “law is not made for a righteous person”.  “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.

As you may have noticed from a prior post, the Daily Confession web site provides spiritual vitamins or bite-size nuggets of Reformed creeds and confessions.  The link is in the right margin under links and is also provided here in the text – Click here: Daily Confession . 

Here is the Daily Confession for today –

                                                                

Canons of Dordt, week 8

February 20, 2009

The First Head of Doctrine: Divine Election and Reprobation

Article 14: Teaching Election Properly

“Just as, by God’s wise plan, this teaching concerning divine election has been proclaimed through the prophets, Christ himself, and the apostles, in Old and New Testament times, and has subsequently been committed to writing in the Holy Scriptures, so also today in God’s church, for which it was specifically intended, this teaching must be set forth — with a spirit of discretion, in a godly and holy manner, at the appropriate time and place, without inquisitive searching into the ways of the Most High. This must be done for the glory of God’s most holy name, and for the lively comfort of his people.”

                                                        

Whether it is deserved or not, Calvinists seem to have the reputation of being cold (”the frozen chosen”) and stern:  “We are the elect, and you are not!”.

                                                  

The Canons of Dordt wisely urge us to teach election properly in several ways:

                                         

1.  “With a spirit of discretion” I am reminded of Matthew 7:6:  “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.”

                                              

2.  “In a godly and holy manner” and “for the glory of God’s most holy name“.  If we teach election as part of God’s overall sovereignty, as I believe Calvin did, rather than just focusing on election, then our listeners may appreciate the fact that God accomplishes all of His purpose.  His will is truly done!  Our listeners may be pleased about it and become more sympathetic later about the teaching of election which is only a part of the teaching of God’s sovereignty.

For example, at the top of this page, you will see a tag labeled “About God”, you will read about “Total Perfect Triumph” and Jeremiah 9:23-24. 

“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.

God has made a perfect plan.  God perfectly executes his plan.  God delights in lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness, and God perfectly exercises them.  We exult in total perfect triumph in Christ.

Total Perfect Triumph teaches about God in a holy manner.  It is more likely to be received by the listeners as being “for the glory of God’s most holy name”.  Such a teaching may prepare the listeners for later being taught about election. 

 

3.  “for the lively comfort of his people“.  If we focus on the “P” in “TULIP” which is “Perseverance of the Saints” also known as “Preservation of the Saints”, then that focus is likely to be  “for the lively comfort of his people”.  

 

Note how the Heidelberg Catechism starts!

 

What is thy only comfort in life and death?

Answer: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.” Heidelberg Catechism, Question 1

  

 ^“8  Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;

 ⁹  that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,

¹⁰  and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.

¹¹  For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false,

¹²  in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

¹³  But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.

¹⁴  It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁵  So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.

¹⁶  Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace,

¹⁷  comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.” 

II Thessalonians 2:8-17  (Emphasis added).

First, how do we get the truth?  Verse 10 tells us that we “receive” the love of the truth.  Verse 13 tells us that God has chosen those for salvation “through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth”.  Thus, we must recognize that our love of the truth is a gift from God.

Second, what happens to those who do not receive this love of the truth?  Verse 10 tells us that they perish.  Verse 10 also tells us that they are not saved.  Verse 12 also tells us that they will be judged.

Third, what are we exhorted to do?  Verse 15 tells us to “stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.” 

First, I would interpret “stand firm” to mean that we should value truth and seek truth as one who eagerly and persistently searches for hidden treasure.  Proverbs 2:4-5 tells us to treasure wisdom (or truth):  “If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures;  Then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God.”  Proverbs 23:23 tells us:  “Buy truth, and do not sell it, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.”

Second, I would interpret “stand firm” to mean that we should value and seek out both Scripture (“letters from us”) and sound doctrine such as our Reformed creeds and confessions (“word of mouth”).  I also think “traditions” would cover both Scripture and our Reformed creeds and confessions.

In my lead article, “Calvinism is the true doctrine of salvation” at “My Other Web Site’s Home Page, I “push the envelope” to determine how important truth and doctrine are.  Here is the link to that web site (although you can also see the link in the right margin) – Click here: Reformed Doctrine – Bill Hornbeck .  Thank you.

1. Exodus 13:2
   ” Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.”
2. 2 Kings 10:20
   And Jehu said, ” Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal ” And they proclaimed it.
3. 1 Chronicles 23:13
   The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses And Aaron was set apart to sanctify him as most holy, he and his sons forever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister to Him and to bless in His name forever.
   
4. 2 Chronicles 35:6
   “Now slaughter the Passover animals, sanctify yourselves and prepare for your brethren to do according to the word of the LORD by Moses.”
   
5. Nehemiah 13:22
   And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.
   
6. Isaiah 29:23
   But when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst, They will sanctify My name; Indeed, they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob And will stand in awe of the God of Israel.
   
7. Ezekiel 20:20
   ‘ Sanctify My sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’
   
8. Ezekiel 44:24
   “In a dispute they shall take their stand to judge; they shall judge it according to My ordinances They shall also keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed feasts and sanctify My sabbaths.
   
9. 1 Peter 3:15
   but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
   

This distinction is very important.  Just because man may be able to “sanctify” in the first sense of consecrating or setting something apart like a Sabbath, does not mean that man can “sanctify” in the second sense of purifying or freeing from sin. 

“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;  and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;  having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day– things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.

Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.

If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)–in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men?

These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.”  Colossians 2:9-23. 

Notice all that Christ has done for you:  “in Him you have been made complete”, “in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;  having been buried with Him in baptism”, “you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead”, “He made you alive together with Him”, “having forgiven us all our transgressions”, “having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross”, and “He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him”. 

These glorious truths should stun us as to how great and complete a Savior our Lord Jesus Christ is!  So to speak in a temporary figurative sense, we should be struck dumb, paralyzed, in the fear of the LORD when we truly realize and believe how little that we can do for ourselves and how much Christ has done for us.  

We should not seek to determine what we should do to perfect ourselves.  We should not seek another judge to measure and prove our progress toward perfection, whether it be the Law, religious authorities, our peers, or even our own conscience.  Rather, we should trust Christ and His work for us as revealed by Scripture.  We should not need the following Colossians 2:16-23 which starts:  “Therefore no one is to act as your judge …”.  But, Paul knows how strong we tend to desire a judge to measure our own righteousness, and so he continues to warn the Church in Rome, the Church in Galatia, the Church in Colossae, and us today through his letters to them. 

Romans 7:6-8 most clearly shows that these warnings do not just apply to obscure Jewish  rituals and other ceremonial laws that we have no temptation to obey in proving our own righteousness.  These warnings also apply to the Ten Commandments.  “But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.  What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.”  But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead.”  Romans 7:6-8.

We must come to grips as to what it really means to be dead to the Law, what it means to be released from the Law, and what it means to not be under the Law.  These repeated phrases in Scripture occur too often to ignore.  However, in my opinion as a layman, there is too little preached and too little written about what that means.  Instead, there is too much preached and too much written that tries to belittle what that means whether by stating that the Law just refers to only obscure Jewish  rituals and other ceremonial laws or whether by too simply concluding that we obey the Law out of gratitude. 

What does it mean to be dead to the Law?  Why is it so important as shown by the repeated warnings in Galatians?  We can only have one master.  Either we trust Christ or trust the Law to make us righteous.   Here is the provision and progression.  “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. ”  Galatians 3:24-26.  (Emphasis added).

However, if we neglect this provision and progression and if we turn back to trust the Law to make us righteous by using it, including the Ten Commandments as our judge or as our yardstick to measure our progress to perfection, even as good as the Ten Commandments may be, then we will find that continuing relationship will produce sins of every kind as stated above in Romans 7:6-8.  How can it be stated more strongly than Galatians 5:4?  “You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.”        

We should “serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter” and trust the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of the Spirit which is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit”  Galatians 5:22-25.

In conclusion, we should trust Christ and rest in these Scriptural truths of what Christ has done for us and continues to do for us through the Holy Spirit.  In Christ, we have been made complete.  Amen!