A Single Decision of Election

The Canons of Dordrecht 

Article 8: A Single Decision of Election

This election is not of many kinds; it is one and the same election for all who were to be saved in the Old and the New Testament. For Scripture declares that there is a single good pleasure, purpose, and plan of God’s will, by which he chose us from eternity both to grace and to glory, both to salvation and to the way of salvation, which he prepared in advance for us to walk in.

He that is mighty hath done to me great things

Daily Light Devotions - July 19 - Morning

He that is mighty hath done to me great things...

for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 1 

"Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? 2 

There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. 3 

Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." 4 

Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 5 

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people 6 

Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? "It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save." 7 

Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one, and said: "I have granted help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. 8 

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. 9 

______________ 

1. Luke 1:49; 

2. Ex 15:11; 

3. Psa 86:8; 

4. Rev 15:4; 

5. Matt 6:9; 

6. Luke 1:68; 

7. Isa 63:1; 

8. Psa 89:19; 

9. Eph 3:20,21

Our deficiencies qualify us for Christ

"I find that our wants qualify us for Christ." -- Rutherford, Samuel, and Ellen S. Lister. The Loveliness of Christ: Extracts from the Letters of Samuel Rutherford. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2007, 14.

She hath done what she could

Daily Light Devotions - July 18 - Evening

She hath done what she could.

She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 1 

And he said, "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 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 

For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 4 

Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 5 

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 6

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 7 

So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'" 8 

______________ 

1. Mark 14:8; 

2. Luke 21:3; 

3. Mark 9:41; 

4. 2 Cor 8:12; 

5. 1 John 3:18; 

6. James 2:15,16; 

7. 2 Cor 9:6,7; 

8. Luke 17:10

Election

The Canons of Dordrecht 

Article 7: Election

Election [or choosing] is God’s unchangeable purpose by which he did the following: 

Before the foundation of the world, by sheer grace, according to the free good pleasure of his will, he chose in Christ to salvation a definite number of particular people out of the entire human race, which had fallen by its own fault from its original innocence into sin and ruin. Those chosen were neither better nor more deserving than the others, but lay with them in the common misery. He did this in Christ, whom he also appointed from eternity to be the mediator, the head of all those chosen, and the foundation of their salvation. And so he decided to give the chosen ones to Christ to be saved, and to call and draw them effectively into Christ’s fellowship through his Word and Spirit. In other words, he decided to grant them true faith in Christ, to justify them, to sanctify them, and finally, after powerfully preserving them in the fellowship of his Son, to glorify them.

God did all this in order to demonstrate his mercy, to the praise of the riches of his glorious grace. 

As Scripture says, God chose us in Christ, before the foundation of the world, so that we should be holy and blameless before him with love; he predestined us whom he adopted as his children through Jesus Christ, in himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, by which he freely made us pleasing to himself in his beloved (Eph. 1:4-6). And elsewhere, Those whom he predestined, he also called; and those whom he called, he also justified; and those whom he justified, he also glorified (Rom. 8:30).

He calleth his own sheep by name

Daily Light Devotions - July 18 - Morning

He calleth his own sheep by name ...

To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 1 

But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity." 2 

On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' 3 

for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. 4 

Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. 5 

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. 6 

The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. 7 

In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 8 

______________ 

1. John 10:3; 

2. 2 Tim 2:19; 

3. Matt 7:22,23; 

4. Psa 1:6; 

5. Isa 49:16; 

6. Song of Solomon 8:6; 

7. Nah 1:7; 

8. John 14:2,3

Your soul shall not sleep sound but in Christ's bosom

"Go where ye will, your soul shall not sleep sound but in Christ's bosom." -- Rutherford, Samuel, and Ellen S. Lister. The Loveliness of Christ: Extracts from the Letters of Samuel Rutherford. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2007, 14.

Sanctification of the Spirit

Daily Light Devotions - July 17 - Evening

Sanctification of the Spirit.

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 1 

Awake, O north wind, and come, O south wind! Blow upon my garden, let its spices flow. Let my beloved come to his garden, and eat its choicest fruits. 2 

For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. 3 

(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 4 

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 5 

and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 7 

for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 8 

All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 9 

______________ 

1. 2 Thess 2:13; 

2. Song of Solomon 4:16; 

3. 2 Cor 7:11; 

4. Eph 5:9,10; 

5. John 14:16; 

6. Rom 5:5; 

7. Gal 5:22; 

8. 2 Cor 8:2; 

9. 1 Cor 12:11

God’s Eternal Decision

The Canons of Dordrecht 

Article 6: God’s Eternal Decision

The fact that some receive from God the gift of faith within time, and that others do not, stems from his eternal decision. For all his works are known to God from eternity (Acts 15:18; Eph. 1:11). In accordance with this decision he graciously softens the hearts, however hard, of his chosen ones and inclines them to believe, but by his just judgment he leaves in their wickedness and hardness of heart those who have not been chosen. And in this especially is disclosed to us his act–unfathomable, and as merciful as it is just–of distinguishing between people equally lost. This is the well-known decision of election and reprobation revealed in God’s Word. This decision the wicked, impure, and unstable distort to their own ruin, but it provides holy and godly souls with comfort beyond words.

Thou art a gracious God, and merciful

Daily Light Devotions - July 17 - Morning

Thou art a gracious God, and merciful ...

And he prayed to the LORD and said, "O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. 1 

And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, 'The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.' 2 

Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name's sake! 3 

"Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O LORD, for your name's sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you. We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against you. 4 

If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. 5 

______________ 

1. Jon 4:2; 

2. Num 14:17,18; 

3. Psa 79:8,9; 

4. Jer 14:7,20; 

5. Psa 130:3,4

Every day we may see some new thing in Christ

"Every day we may see some new thing in Christ. His love hath neither brim nor bottom." -- Rutherford, Samuel, and Ellen S. Lister. The Loveliness of Christ: Extracts from the Letters of Samuel Rutherford. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2007, 13.

We made our prayer unto our God

Daily Light Devotions - July 16 - Evening

We made our prayer unto our God ...

And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. 1 

Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." 2 

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 

casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 4 

"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? 5 

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 6 

The LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. 7 

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 

______________ 

1. Neh 4:9;

2. Matt 26:41; 

3. Col 4:2; 

4. 1 Pet 5:7-9; 

5. Luke 6:46; 

6. James 1:22; 

7. Ex 14:15; 

8. Phil 4:6,7