Bible.com 1 Corinthians 1:4–9 (NIV) 4   I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5   For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 3: God’s Preservation of the Today: 1 Peter 5

Participating in the sacraments connects you to God's covenant people in all ages. 1 Corinthians 10:1 –4 (ESV) 1  For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, Today: John 15

declared you to be; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 1 you to be; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 1 Timothy 5

Isaiah 1:1–20 (NASB95) 1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem abandoned the Lord, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have turned away from Him. 5 Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan

Jesus looks at two extremes when it comes to keeping God's law and says 'Nope.' Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 62 Q. Why can’t the good we do make us right with God, or at least help make us right with him? A. Because the righteousness which can pass God’s scrutiny must be entirely perfect and must in every way measure up to the divine law. Even the very best we do in this life is imperfect and stained with sin. Summary The Sermon on the Mount comes near the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry, and right out of the gate He seeks to squelch the two biggest misunderstandings that people would have about Him. He begins by stating that He in no way, shape or form will be an excuse for sinners who seek to abolish God's Law. The latest incarnation of this in our own society comes from those who seek to pit Jesus' love against God's law by claiming that it's unloving, and therefore un-Christlike, to uphold Biblical standards that come into conflict with people's personal choices. Jesus lays out a stern warning to those who set aside even the least of God's commands, stating that they will be "called least in the Kingdom of Heaven." Next Jesus calls out those on the opposite end of the spectrum: those who think they're so high and mighty and righteous that they can ride their own awesome law keeping efforts right into the Kingdom of Heaven. Not so fast, warns Jesus. If this is your plan, your righteousness better far exceed the pseudo-righteousness of the Pharisees. But these super-duper rule followers were so hung up in dotting the i's and crossing the t's that Jesus mentioned in v18 that they missed the righteousness of God standing right in front of them. Trying to make yourself right with God on your own is hopeless. If this were the extent of Jesus' ministry, the gospel would be hopeless! Thank God it's not! Dig Deeper Last week we focused on one of the pillars of Reformed theology known as Sola Fide, a Latin phrase that simply means Faith Alone. By this we mean that you are made right with God solely because your faith in Christ and not because of works or rule keeping. But this understanding, while good, needs to be nuanced a bit. You actually are saved by works. God will not set aside His holy, righteous and perfect standards. The nuance comes in that you are not saved by your own works, rather you are saved by Christ's perfect obedience which has been credited to you. God's law must be kept - down to the smallest letter and the least stroke of a pen. Nobody born in Adam had the ability to keep this law since we were all conceived and born in sin, but Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, could and did. We'll spend most of the second half of 2023 looking at how you, as one who "can pass God's scrutiny" because you've been included in Christ, now relate to God's law. But suffice it to say for now, that although you are certainly saved by faith alone, you are not saved by a faith that is alone. As we'll see on Friday, true faith and trust in Christ produces a strong desire to live according to all of God's good and perfect law. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who defines goodness, holiness and righteousness and communicates them in His law; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that as your faith in Christ alone increases, that so will your desire to live according to God's law; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Ephesians 4

Luke 17:7-10 (NIV) 7  “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. (Matt. 5:48, Leviticus 19:2, Deuteronomy 18:13). Today: 1 Corinthians 2

Genesis 2:15–17 (ESV) 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 Here John calls men “darkness.”

Acts 17:16-30 (NIV) 16  While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17  So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity

BibleHub.com John 6:60–66 (NIV) CONTEXT: Jesus has just told those following Him the shocking statement Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity John writes that Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Today: 2 Corinthians 5

SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF:   All of Jacob's family has joined Joseph in Egypt. Exodus 1 (NIV) 1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; 3   Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; 4   Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher. 5   the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.” 17 Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 52 Q.