Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 28, 2023

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy”

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 2:8-15.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%202&version=NASB1995

“Now the time that it took for us to come from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the brook Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war perished from within the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them.  Moreover the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from within the camp until they all perished.”  Deuteronomy 2:14-15.

———————

The Book of Jude is devoted as a warning about the ungodly.  As one example, the Book of Jude used the example of those “within the camp” of Israel who did not believe that the LORD would give them possession of Canaan, the Promised Land.    

“Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.”  Jude 5.

Let us review the summary by Moses of their unbelief in the prior chapter, Deuteronomy chapter 1. 

“Yet you were not willing to go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God;  and you grumbled in your tents and said, ‘Because the LORD hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us.  Where can we go up?  Our brethren have made our hearts melt, saying, “The people are bigger and taller than we;  the cities are large and fortified to heaven.  And besides, we saw the sons of the Anakim there.”’  Then I said to you, ‘Do not be shocked, nor fear them.  The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, in all the way which you have walked until you came to this place.’  But for all this, you did not trust the LORD your God,  who goes before you on your way, to seek out a place for you to encamp, in fire by night and cloud by day, to show you the way in which you should go.”  Deuteronomy 1:26-33.

With that warning in mind, let us heed the exhortation in the Book of Jude.

“But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.”  These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.  But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.  And have mercy on some, who are doubting;  save others, snatching them out of the fire;  and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.”  Jude 17-23.

But, there is hope as stated in the comforting conclusion in the Book of Jude!

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever.  Amen.”  Jude 24-25.

Comments Off on “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , ,

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 27, 2023

“His sovereignty rules over all.” – “Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.”

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 2:1-7.

“Then we turned and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea, as the LORD spoke to me, and circled Mount Seir for many days.  And the LORD spoke to me, saying, ‘You have circled this mountain long enough.  Now turn north, and command the people, saying, “You will pass through the territory of your brothers the sons of Esau who live in Seir;  and they will be afraid of you.  So be very careful;  do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, even as little as a footstep because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession.  You shall buy food from them with money so that you may eat, and you shall also purchase water from them with money so that you may drink.  For the LORD your God has blessed you in all that you have done;  He has known your wanderings through this great wilderness.  These forty years the LORD your God has been with you;  you have not lacked a thing.”’  Deuteronomy 2:1-7.

—————-

Other doctrine believes in the alleged free-will of man.

But, Reformed Doctrine believes in the total perfect sovereignty of God.

“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.” Psalm 103:19.

“But our God is in the heavens;
He does whatever He pleases.” Psalm 115:3.

“The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD;
He turns it wherever He wishes.” Proverbs 21:1.

Here is a simple logical reason to believe the total perfect sovereignty of God.

God could not fulfill His promises if man’s alleged free-will existed, because such man’s alleged free-will could block the fulfillment of God’s promises or at least alter the means or timing of the fulfillment of God’s promises.  Thus, in such a hypothetical situation, God could not be trusted to fulfill His promises and His promised means and timing of how His promises would be fulfilled.

But, if indeed God’s sovereignty rules over all, then God totally and perfectly controls every detail, and God could fulfill all of His promises exactly how and when as promised.  God would indeed be trustworthy. 

Man does not like God’s total perfect sovereignty.

“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.” Psalm 2:2-6.

Here is a good summary and conclusion.

“9 “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,
10 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’;
11 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.” Isaiah 46:9-11.

Comments Off on “His sovereignty rules over all.” – “Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , ,

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 26, 2023

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, …”

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 1:41-46.

“Then you said to me, ‘We have sinned against the LORD;  we will indeed go up and fight, just as the LORD our God commanded us.’  And every man of you girded on his weapons of war, and regarded it as easy to go up into the hill country.  And the LORD said to me, ‘Say to them, “Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you;  otherwise you will be defeated before your enemies.”’  So I spoke to you, but you would not listen.  Instead you rebelled against the command of the LORD, and acted presumptuously and went up into the hill country.  The Amorites who lived in that hill country came out against you and chased you as bees do, and crushed you from Seir to Hormah.  Then you returned and wept before the LORD;  but the LORD did not listen to your voice nor give ear to you.  So you remained in Kadesh many days, the days that you spent there.”  Deuteronomy 1:41-46.

—————

We notice the contrast between Israel being fearful to fight in the prior Scripture (Deuteronomy 1:26-33) and Israel being foolish to fight in today’s Scripture.

The lesson presented by today’s Scripture is to seek the LORD in all of our ways and to listen and obey Him.  

Do not be proud and presumptuous.  Be humble and hear and hold fast to Him.    

“5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6.

“Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Joshua 22:5.

But, there is hope!

“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” Ezekiel 36:27.

“8 Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples.
9 Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
Speak of all His wonders.
10 Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
11 Seek the LORD and His strength;
Seek His face continually.
12 Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done,
His marvels and the judgments from His mouth,
13 O seed of Israel His servant,
Sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!” 1 Chronicles 16:8-13.

Comments Off on “Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, …”

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 25, 2023

“By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, … for he was looking for the city … whose architect and builder is God.”

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 1:34-40.

“Then the LORD heard the sound of your words, and He was angry and took an oath, saying, ‘Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land which I swore to give your fathers, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh;  he shall see it, and to him and to his sons I will give the land on which he has set foot, because he has followed the LORD fully.’  The LORD was angry with me also on your account, saying, ‘Not even you shall enter there.  Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter there;  encourage him, for he will cause Israel to inherit it.  Moreover, your little ones who you said would become a prey, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, shall enter there, and I will give it to them and they shall possess it.  But as for you, turn around and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.’”  Deuteronomy 1:34-40.  

—————–

This Scripture is sad, but there is still hope.

And, like those who were stuck in the wilderness, we may feel like we are stuck in a wilderness.  But, there is hope for us too!

First, the children would be allowed to enter and possess the Promised Land.  “Moreover, your little ones who you said would become a prey, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, shall enter there, and I will give it to them and they shall possess it.”  Verse 39.  

Second, even in the wilderness, God is with us.  “and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, in all the way which you have walked until you came to this place.’”  Deuteronomy 1:31. 

“Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.
2 I said to the LORD, “You are my LORD;
I have no good besides You.” Psalm 16:1-2.

“You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” Psalm 16:11.

Third, as good as Canaan, the earthly Promised Land was, or as good as we may have it on earth, our goal is heaven.  We are aliens, only sojourners passing through earth, and we live by faith like Abraham.

“By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance;  and he went out, not knowing where he was going.  By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;  for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”  Hebrews 11:8-10.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”  1 Peter 1:3-5. 

Comments Off on “By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, … for he was looking for the city … whose architect and builder is God.”

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 24, 2023

“Many are the sorrows of the wicked, But he who trusts in the LORD, lovingkindness shall surround him.”

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 1:22-33.

“Then all of you approached me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, that they may search out the land for us, and bring back to us word of the way by which we should go up and the cities which we shall enter.’  The thing pleased me and I took twelve of your men, one man for each tribe.  They turned and went up into the hill country, and came to the valley of Eshcol and spied it out.  Then they took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us;  and they brought us back a report and said, ‘It is a good land which the LORD our God is about to give us.’

“Yet you were not willing to go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God;  and you grumbled in your tents and said, ‘Because the LORD hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us.  Where can we go up?  Our brethren have made our hearts melt, saying, “The people are bigger and taller than we;  the cities are large and fortified to heaven.  And besides, we saw the sons of the Anakim there.”’  Then I said to you, ‘Do not be shocked, nor fear them.  The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, in all the way which you have walked until you came to this place.’  But for all this, you did not trust the LORD your God,  who goes before you on your way, to seek out a place for you to encamp, in fire by night and cloud by day, to show you the way in which you should go.”  Deuteronomy 1:22-33.

————-

“8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
9 Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in the LORD, lovingkindness shall surround him.
11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.” Psalm 32:8-11.

“5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6.

“20 Our soul waits for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.
22 Let Your lovingkindness, O LORD, be upon us,
According as we have hoped in You.” Psalm 33:20-22.

Comments Off on “Many are the sorrows of the wicked, But he who trusts in the LORD, lovingkindness shall surround him.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , ,

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 23, 2023

“You shall not show partiality in judgment” – “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.”

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 1:9-18.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%201&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses.

“Then I charged your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your fellow countrymen, and judge righteously between a man and his fellow countryman, or the alien who is with him.  You shall not show partiality in judgment;  you shall hear the small and the great alike.  You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God’s.  …”  Deuteronomy 1:16-17.  

——————-

We continue to consider the importance of justice to the LORD.

In brief review, in the July 18, 2023 devotion, we considered that a trial by jury is one of the pillars of justice and should be treasured as a provision of the LORD.

“The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice;
Let the many islands be glad.
2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.” Psalm 97:1-2.

In today’s devotion, we consider that impartiality in judgment is another pillar of justice.  “You shall not show partiality in judgment;  you shall hear the small and the great alike.  You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God’s.  …”  Verse 17. 

“There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.” Romans 2:9-11.

Let us consider that the temptation to be partial in judgment is greater in difficult (close) cases than it is in easy cases. 

In a case in which it is easy to decide who is right and who is wrong, then it is easy to be impartial and give judgment in favor of the right one.  A judge would know that if he or she gave judgment to the wrong one, then many others would be critical of the obvious partiality by the judge and the judge could lose his or her position as judge.  

But, in a case that it is difficult to determine who is right, there is more temptation to be partial. In a difficult (close) case, there are evidence and arguments supporting each side (person) and a judge could get away with being partial in judgment. The judge could hide his or her partiality, because there were evidence and arguments supporting the decision of the judge.    

In order to consider this point further of the temptation to be partial in a difficult case, let us use an actual case that King Solomon decided that is in 1 Kings 3:16-28.  In brief summary, two woman lived alone in the same house, there were no other witnesses, and each woman gave birth to a child within three days of each other.  One of the children died, and each woman claimed that the surviving child was her own child. If there was some judge deciding this case other than Solomon, and the judge liked something about one of the women, then that judge could be tempted to rule in favor of that woman, knowing that such partiality could be easily hidden.

But, we know that Solomon decided this case and used his wisdom, not partiality in judgment, to base his judgment. Solomon showed his impartiality in the words that he used to base his judgment. “The king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other.” Then the woman whose child was the living one spoke to the king, for she was deeply stirred over her son and said, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him.” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him!” Then the king said, “Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him. She is his mother.” 1 Kings 3:25-27.   

“When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.”  1 Kings 3:28.

But, there is hope for us too!

First of all, and above all, God is in perfect total sovereign control. “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 9:24.

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”  James 1:5.

“But the fruit of the Spirit 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.” Galatians 5:22-24.

Comments Off on “You shall not show partiality in judgment” – “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , ,

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 21, 2023

“But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.”

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 1:1-8.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%201&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses.

“These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel across the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel and Laban and Hazeroth and Dizahab.  …  Across the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses undertook to expound this law, saying,

“The LORD our God spoke to us at Horeb, saying, ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain.  Turn and set your journey, and go to the hill country of the Amorites, and to all their neighbors in the Arabah, in the hill country and in the lowland and in the Negev and by the seacoast, the land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.  See, I have placed the land before you;  go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to them and their descendants after them.’”  Deuteronomy 1:1 and 5-8.

———————-

First, let us remember all the precious and magnificent promises of God.

“Abram (Abraham) took Sarai (Sarah) his wife and Lot his nephew, and all their possessions which they had accumulated, and the persons which they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan; thus they came to the land of Canaan.  …  The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.”  So he built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him.”  Genesis 12:5 and 7.

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;  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.  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.”  2 Peter 1:2-4.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”  Ephesians 1:3-6.

Second, let us be patient while we wait.  Israel had to wait 40 years in the wilderness before the LORD allowed them to go in and possess Canaan, the Promised Land.

“7 Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.
9 For evildoers will be cut off,
But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.” Psalm 37:7-9.

Consider the following from the Canons of Dordt in the section titled FIRST HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of Divine Predestination.

Article 16.  Those who do not yet experience a lively faith in Christ, an assured confidence of soul, peace of conscience, an earnest endeavor after filial obedience, and glorying in God through Christ, efficaciously wrought in them, and do nevertheless persist in the use of the means which God hath appointed for working these graces in us, ought not to be alarmed at the mention of reprobation, nor to rank themselves among the reprobate, but diligently to persevere in the use of means, and with ardent desires, devoutly and humbly to wait for a season of richer grace.  …  since a merciful God has promised that he will not quench the smoking flax, nor break the bruised reed.  …  

“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”  Hebrews 6:11-12.

“28 Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable.
29 He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
30 Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
31 Yet those who wait for the LORD
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.” Isaiah 40:28-31.

Comments Off on “But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , ,

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 20, 2023

“an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you”

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers chapter 36.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2036&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses.

“And the heads of the fathers’ households of the family of the sons of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near and spoke before Moses and before the leaders, the heads of the fathers’ households of the sons of Israel, and they said, “The LORD commanded my lord to give the land by lot to the sons of Israel as an inheritance, and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters.  But if they marry one of the sons of the other tribes of the sons of Israel, their inheritance will be withdrawn from the inheritance of our fathers and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong;  thus it will be withdrawn from our allotted inheritance.  When the jubilee of the sons of Israel comes, then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong;  so their inheritance will be withdrawn from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.”

Then Moses commanded the sons of Israel according to the word of the LORD, saying, “The tribe of the sons of Joseph are right in their statements.  This is what the LORD has commanded concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, ‘Let them marry whom they wish;  only they must marry within the family of the tribe of their father.’  Thus no inheritance of the sons of Israel shall be transferred from tribe to tribe, for the sons of Israel shall each hold to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.  …

Just as the LORD had commanded Moses, so the daughters of Zelophehad did:  Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad married their uncles’ sons.  They married those from the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained with the tribe of the family of their father.”  Numbers 36:1-7 and 10-12.

———————

It is fitting that this last chapter of the Book of Numbers is devoted to the preserving of an inheritance.  The LORD thereby is teaching us how important it is to Him, and how great our hope can be, that the LORD will preserve our inheritance.  

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”  1 Peter 1:3-5. 

Consider the following from the Canons of Dordt in the section titled FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Perseverance of the Saints.  

Article 3.  By reason of these remains of indwelling sin, and the temptations of sin and of the world, those who are converted could not persevere in a state of grace, if left to their own strength.  But God is faithful, who having conferred grace, mercifully confirms, and powerfully preserves them herein, even to the end.  

Article 8.  Thus, it is not in consequence of their own merits, or strength, but of God’s free mercy, that they do not totally fall from faith and grace, nor continue and perish finally in their backslidings;   which, with respect to themselves, is not only possible, but would undoubtedly happen;  but with respect to God, it is utterly impossible, since his counsel cannot be changed, nor his promise fail, neither can the call according to his purpose be revoked, nor the merit, intercession and preservation of Christ be rendered ineffectual, nor the sealing of the Holy Spirit be frustrated or obliterated.

Article 9.  Of this preservation of the elect to salvation, and of their perseverance in the faith, true believers for themselves may and ought to obtain assurance according to the measure of their faith, whereby they arrive at the certain persuasion, that they ever will continue true and living members of the church;  and that they experience forgiveness of sins, and will at last inherit eternal life.

“…  In Him (Christ) also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.  In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”  Ephesians 1:10-14.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.  For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;  and these whom He predestined, He also called;  and these whom He called, He also justified;  and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”  Romans 8:28-30.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;  and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish;  and no one will snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all;  and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”  John 10:27-29. 

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”  Luke 12:32.

Comments Off on “an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , ,

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 19, 2023

“without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” – “In Him we have redemption through His blood”

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 35:29-34.

“‘These things shall be for a statutory ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

‘If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death at the evidence of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness.  Moreover, you shall not take ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death.  You shall not take ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to live in the land before the death of the priest.  So you shall not pollute the land in which you are;  for blood pollutes the land and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it.  You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell;  for I the LORD am dwelling in the midst of the sons of Israel.’”  Numbers 35:29-34.

——————-

“And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”  Hebrews 9:22.

But, there is hope!

“He made Him (Christ) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  2 Corinthians 5:21.

“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;  and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”  Hebrews 9:11-12. 

“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”  Hebrews 10:14.

Consider the following from the Canons of Dordt in the section titled 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.

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.  …”  Ephesians 1:7-8. 

Comments Off on “without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” – “In Him we have redemption through His blood”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , ,

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 18, 2023

“the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the blood avenger” – “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.”

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 35:16-28.

“‘But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer;  the murderer shall surely be put to death.  If he struck him down with a stone in the hand, by which he will die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer;  the murderer shall surely be put to death.  Or if he struck him with a wooden object in the hand, by which he might die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer;  the murderer shall surely be put to death.  The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death;  he shall put him to death when he meets him.  If he pushed him of hatred, or threw something at him lying in wait and as a result he died, or if he struck him down with his hand in enmity, and as a result he died, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death, he is a murderer;  the blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

‘But if he pushed him suddenly without enmity, or threw something at him without lying in wait, or with any deadly object of stone, and without seeing it dropped on him so that he died, while he was not his enemy nor seeking his injury, then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the blood avenger according to these ordinances.  The congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the blood avenger, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he fled;  and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.  But if the manslayer at any time goes beyond the border of his city of refuge to which he may flee, and the blood avenger finds him outside the border of his city of refuge, and the blood avenger kills the manslayer, he will not be guilty of blood because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest.  But after the death of the high priest the manslayer shall return to the land of his possession.”  Numbers 35:16-28.

————–

A trial by jury is comparable to “the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the blood avenger according to these ordinances.”  Verse 24.  Likewise, in yesterday’s Scripture, we read:  “The cities shall be to you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands before the congregation for trial.”  Numbers 35:12.  

A trial by jury is one of the pillars of justice and should be treasured as a provision of the LORD.

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Lovingkindness and truth go before You.” Psalm 89:14.

“The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice;
Let the many islands be glad.
2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.” Psalm 97:1-2.

Comments Off on “the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the blood avenger” – “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , ,

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »

Categories