Wednesday, June 20, 2012

The Doctrine of Election


The Belgic Confession of Faith


Article 16: The Doctrine of Election

We believe that— all human beings having thus fallen into perdition and ruin by the sin of the first pair—God exhibited divine character in mercy and justice.

God is merciful in withdrawing and saving from this perdition those who, in the eternal and unchangeable divine counsel, have been elected and chosen in Jesus Christ our Lord by his pure goodness, without any consideration of their works.

God is just in leaving the others in their ruin and fall into which they plunged themselves.

Take this child away and nurse him for me


Daily Light Devotions - June 20 - Morning


Take this child away and nurse him for me ...

And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages." So the woman took the child and nursed him. 1

and to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.' 2

For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward. 3

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. 4

For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.  5

He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.  6

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  7
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1. Ex 2:9;
2. Matt 20:4;
3. Mark 9:41;
4. Prov 11:25;
5. Heb 6:10;
6. 1 Cor 3:8;
7. Matt 25:37,38,40,34

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Hunger and thirst for God is satisfied in Christ

"There is as much in our Lord's pantry as will satisfy all his bairns [children], and as much wine in his cellar as will quench all their thirst. Hunger on; for there is meat in hunger for Christ: go never from him, but fash [trouble] him (who yet is pleased with the importunity of hungry souls) with a dishful of hungry desires, till he fill you; and if he delay yet come not ye away, albeit ye should fall a-swoon [faint] at his feet." -- Rutherford, Samuel, and Ellen S. Lister. The Loveliness of Christ: Extracts from the Letters of Samuel Rutherford. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2007, 4.

Gold tried in the fire


Daily Light Devotions - June 19 - Evening


Gold tried in the fire.

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.  1

Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,  who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.  2

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  3

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,  so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  4

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.  5

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." 6
______________

1. Rev 3:18;
2. Mark 10:29,30;
3. 1 Pet 4:12;
4. 1 Pet 1:6,7;
5. 1 Pet 5:10;
6. John 16:33

The Doctrine of Original Sin

The Belgic Confession of Faith


Article 15: The Doctrine of Original Sin


We believe that by the disobedience of Adam and Eve original sin has been spread through the whole human race.


It is a corruption of all human nature—an inherited depravity which even infects small infants in their mother’s womb, and the root which produces in humanity every sort of sin. It is therefore so vile and enormous in God’s sight that it is enough to condemn the human race, and it is not abolished or wholly uprooted even by baptism, seeing that sin constantly boils forth as though from a contaminated spring.


Nevertheless, it is not imputed to God’s children for their condemnation but is forgiven by his grace and mercy—not to put them to sleep but so that the awareness of this corruption might often make believers groan as they long to be set free from the “body of this death” (Rom. 7:24).

Therefore we reject the error of the Pelagians who say that this sin is nothing else than a matter of imitation.

Holiness, without which no one shall see the Lord


Daily Light Devotions - June 19 - Morning


Holiness, without which no one shall see the Lord.

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.  1

Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."  2

But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. 3

You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you. 4

"Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.  5

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,  but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,  since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."  And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,  6

to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,  and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,  and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 7

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love  8
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1 Heb 12:14;
2. John 3:3;
3 Rev 21:27;
4 Song of Solomon 4:7;
5 Lev 19:2;
6 1 Pet 1:14-17;
7 Eph 4:22-24;
8 Eph 1:4

Monday, June 18, 2012

No sweeter fellowship with Christ

"There is no sweeter fellowship with Christ than to bring our wounds and our sores to him." -- Rutherford, Samuel, and Ellen S. Lister. The Loveliness of Christ: Extracts from the Letters of Samuel Rutherford. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2007, 3.

Faith as a grain of mustard seed


Daily Light Devotions - June 18 - Evening


Faith as a grain of mustard seed.

He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." 1

Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go." So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel.  2

So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night. Then Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said,  Then Gideon said to God, "Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew."  And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew. 3

"'I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.  4

For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. "These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range through the whole earth."  5

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.  6

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"  7

I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon; his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon. 8
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1 Matt 17:20;
2 Judges 4:8,23;
3 Judges 6:27,36,39,40;
4 Rev 3:8;
5 Zech 4:10;
6 2 Thess 1:3;
7 Luke 17:5;
8 Hos 14:5,6

The Creation and Fall of Humanity

The Belgic Confession of Faith

Article 14: The Creation and Fall of Humanity

We believe that God created human beings from the dust of the earth and made and formed them in the divine image and likeness—good, just, and holy; able by the divine will to conform in all things to the will of God.

But when they were in honor they did not understand it (Ps. 49:20) and did not recognize their excel- lence. But they subjected themselves willingly to sin and consequently to death and the curse, lending their ear to the word of the devil.

For they transgressed the commandment of life, which they had received, and by their sin they separated themselves from God, who was their true life, having corrupted their entire nature.

So they made themselves guilty and subject to physical and spiritual death, having become wicked, perverse, and corrupt in all their ways. They lost all their excellent gifts which they had received from God, and retained none of them except for small traces which are enough to make them inexcusable.

Moreover, all the light in us is turned to darkness, as the Scripture teaches us: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it" (John 1:5).  Here Saint John calls the human race “darkness.”

Therefore we reject everything taught to the contrary concerning human free will, since humans are nothing but the slaves of sin and cannot do a thing unless it is given them from heaven (John 3:27).

For who can boast of being able to do anything good by oneself, since Christ says, “No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me” (John 6:44)?

Who can glory in one’s own will when they understand that “the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God” (Rom 8:7)? Who can speak of one’s own knowledge in view of the fact that “those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit” (1 Cor 2:14)?

In short, who can produce a single thought, since we know that we are “not able to think a thing” about ourselves, by ourselves, but that “our competence is from God” (2 Cor 3:5)?

And therefore, what the apostle says ought rightly to stand fixed and firm: “For it is God who is at work in you both to will and to work for God’s good pleasure" (Phil 2:13). For there is no understanding nor will conforming to God’s understanding and will apart from Christ’s involvement, as he teaches us when he says, “Apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

And there I will meet with thee


Daily Light Devotions - June 18 - Morning

... And there I will meet with thee.

And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel. 1 

By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing  2 

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.  3 

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,  by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  4 

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 5 

and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,  whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.  6 

For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.  7 
______________ 

1 Ex 25:21,22; 
2 Heb 9:8; 
3 Matt 27:50,51; 
4 Heb 10:19,20,22; 
5 Heb 4:16; 
6 Rom 3:24,25; 
7 Eph 2:18

Sunday, June 17, 2012

The Gospel Way

Here's a prayer titled "The Gospel Way" from "The Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions" edited by Arthur Bennet (pages 62-63):

BLESSED LORD JESUS,

No human mind could conceive or invent
the gospel.
Acting in eternal grace, thou art both
its messenger and its message,
lived out on earth through infinite compassion,
applying thy life to insult, injury, death,
that I might be redeemed, ransomed, freed.
Blessed be thou, O Father, for contriving this way,
Eternal Thanks to thee, O Lamb of God,
for opening this way,
Praise everlasting to thee, O Holy Spirit,
for applying this way to my heart.
Glorious Trinity, impress the gospel on my soul,
until its virtue diffuses every faculty;
Let it be heard, acknowledged, professed, felt.
Teach me to secure this mighty blessing;
Help me to give up every darling lust,
to submit heart and life to its command,
to have it in my will,
controlling my affections,
moulding my understanding;
to adhere strictly to the rules of true religion,
not departing from them in any instance,
nor for any advantage in order to escape evil,
inconvenience or danger.
Take me to the cross to seek glory from its infamy;
Strip me of every pleasing pretence of righteousness
by my own doings.
O gracious Redeemer,
I have neglected thee too long,
often crucified thee,
crucified thee afresh by my impenitence,
put thee to open shame.
I thank thee for the patience that has borne with me
so long,
and for the grace that now makes me willing to be
thine.
O unite me to thyself with inseparable bonds,
that nothing may ever draw me back from thee,
my Lord, my Saviour.

All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD


Daily Light Devotions - June 17 - Evening


All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD ...

All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, and all your saints shall bless you! 1

Of David.  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 2

Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away. I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 3

Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. 4

Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, 5

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 6

"Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." 7
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1 Psalm 145:10;
2 Psalm 103:1,2;
3 Psalm 34:1;
4 Psalm 145:2;
5 Psalm 63:3-5;
6 Luke 1:46,47;
7 Rev 4:11