Assurance No Inducement to Carelessness

The Canons of Dordrecht

The Fifth Main Point of Doctrine: The Perseverance of the Saints 

Article 13: Assurance No Inducement to Carelessness 

Neither does the renewed confidence of perseverance produce immorality or lack of concern for godliness in those put back on their feet after a fall, but it produces a much greater concern to observe carefully the ways of the Lord which he prepared in advance. They observe these ways in order that by walking in them they may maintain the assurance of their perseverance, lest, by their abuse of his fatherly goodness, the face of the gracious God (for the godly, looking upon his face is sweeter than life, but its withdrawal is more bitter than death) turn away from them again, with the result that they fall into greater anguish of spirit.

His face shone while he talked with him

Daily Light Devotions - October 4 - Morning

... His face shone while he talked with him.

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. 1 

Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! 2 

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 3 

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 5 

And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 6 

And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. 7 

The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 8 

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 9 

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 10 

______________ 

1. Exo 34:29; 

2. Psa 115:1; 

3. Matt 25:37; 

4. Phil 2:3; 

5. 1 Pet 5:5; 

6. Matt 17:2; 

7. Acts 6:15; 

8. John 17:22; 

9. 2 Cor 3:18; 

10. Matt 5:14,15

Christ is our ark

"The floods may swell and roar, but our ark shall swim above the waters; it cannot sink, because a Saviour is in it." -- Rutherford, Samuel, and Ellen S. Lister. The Loveliness of Christ: Extracts from the Letters of Samuel Rutherford. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2007, 39. [Letter LI, 1635]

There are differences of administrations

Daily Light Devotions - October 3 - Evening

There are differences of administrations ...

and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 1 

Over the king's treasuries was Azmaveth the son of Adiel; and over the treasuries in the country, in the cities, in the villages, and in the towers, was Jonathan the son of Uzziah; and over those who did the work of the field for tilling the soil was Ezri the son of Chelub; and over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite; and over the produce of the vineyards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite. All these were stewards of King David's property. 2 

And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 3 

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies-- in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 4 

______________ 

1. 1 Cor 12:5; 

2. 1 Chron 27:25-27,31; 

3. 1 Cor 12:28,11; 

4. 1 Pet 4:10,11

This Assurance as an Incentive to Godliness

The Canons of Dordrecht

The Fifth Main Point of Doctrine: The Perseverance of the Saints 

Article 12: This Assurance as an Incentive to Godliness

This assurance of perseverance, however, so far from making true believers proud and carnally self-assured, is rather the true root of humility, of childlike respect, of genuine godliness, of endurance in every conflict, of fervent prayers, of steadfastness in crossbearing and in confessing the truth, and of well-founded joy in God. Reflecting on this benefit provides an incentive to a serious and continual practice of thanksgiving and good works, as is evident from the testimonies of Scripture and the examples of the saints.

Unto him that loved us

Daily Light Devotions - October 3 - Morning

Unto him that loved us ...

and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 1 

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised. Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD. 2

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 3 

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 4 

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 5 

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 6 

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 7 

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 8 

______________ 

1. Rev 1:5; 

2. Song of Songs 8:7,6; 

3. John 15:13; 

4. 1 Pet 2:24; 

5. Eph 1:7; 

6. 1 Cor 6:11; 

7. 1 Pet 2:9; 

8. Rom 12:1

Let the cross of your Lord Jesus have your submissive and resolute Amen

"Put your hand to the pen, and let the cross of your Lord Jesus have your submissive and resolute Amen." -- Rutherford, Samuel, and Ellen S. Lister. The Loveliness of Christ: Extracts from the Letters of Samuel Rutherford. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2007, 39. [Letter CCLXXXVII, 1 Oct. 1639]

Who maketh thee to differ from another?

Daily Light Devotions - October 2 - Evening

Who maketh thee to differ from another?

For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? 1 

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 2 

Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 3 

So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 4 

Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 5 

And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." 6 

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 7 

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 8 

______________ 

1. 1 Cor 4:7; 

2. 1 Cor 15:10; 

3. James 1:18; 

4. Rom 9:16; 

5. Rom 3:27; 

6. 1 Cor 1:30,31; 

7. Eph 2:1-3; 

8. 1 Cor 6:11

Doubts Concerning This Assurance

The Canons of Dordrecht

The Fifth Main Point of Doctrine: The Perseverance of the Saints 

Article 11: Doubts Concerning This Assurance

Meanwhile, Scripture testifies that believers have to contend in this life with various doubts of the flesh and that under severe temptation they do not always experience this full assurance of faith and certainty of perseverance. But God, the Father of all comfort, does not let them be tempted beyond what they can bear, but with the temptation he also provides a way out (1 Cor. 10:13), and by the Holy Spirit revives in them the assurance of their perseverance.

The goat shall bear ... all their iniquities

Daily Light Devotions - October 2 - Morning

The goat shall bear ... all their iniquities.

The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness. 1 

as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 2 

In those days and in that time, declares the LORD, iniquity shall be sought in Israel, and there shall be none, and sin in Judah, and none shall be found, for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant. 3 

He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. 4 

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned-- every one-- to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. 5 

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 6 

______________ 

1. Lev 16:22; 

2. Psa 103:12; 

3. Jer 50:20; 

4. Micah 7:19,18; 

5. Isa 53:6,11,12; 

6. John 1:29

Salvation is not rolled upon wheels of your own making

"Ye may yourself ebb and flow, rise and fall, wax and wane; but your Lord is this day as he was yesterday; and it is your comfort that your salvation is not rolled upon wheels of your own making, neither have ye to do with a Christ of your own shaping." -- Rutherford, Samuel, and Ellen S. Lister. The Loveliness of Christ: Extracts from the Letters of Samuel Rutherford. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2007, 39. [Letter CLXXXVIII, 1637]

Grow up into him in all things

Daily Light Devotions - October 1 - Evening

Grow up into him in all things ...

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 1

The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 2 

until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 3 

Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding. "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. 4 

These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. 5 

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 6 

______________ 

1. Eph 4:15; 

2. Mark 4:28; 

3. Eph 4:13; 

4. 2 Cor 10:12,17,18; 

5. Col 2:17-19; 

6. 2 Pet 3:18