March 18 Daily Devotional

Bible Text:

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? —Isaiah 53:I

Devotional:

For if we are ashamed to receive our Lord Jesus Christ crucified, we are most certainly excluded from all hope of salvation. For how are we saved by him? How does the inheritance of heaven belong to us, if not because he has been made a curse for us—and that not only before men, but even at the mouth of God his Father?

Look how Jesus Christ, who is the fountain of all blessing, has yet borne our sins and become like the ancient sacrifices which were called "sin" because the wrath of God had to be declared there, so that men might be set free and absolved from it! And how is it that Jesus Christ is our life, save in that he has swallowed up death in dying?

And how is it that we are raised by him, save in that he has gone down even to the depths of hell—that is to say, that he has carried the horrors which were upon us because of our sins and which would have crushed us?

For we should have had to have God always as our Judge; and it is the most appalling thing that could happen, to have God against us. It was necessary that Jesus Christ should come forward as our pledge and make atonement for us, and bear our condemnation so as to absolve us from it. So then, let us not find it strange when we see that he was so disfigured. —Sermons

John Calvin was the premier theologian of the Reformation, but also a pious and godly Christian pastor who endeavored throughout his life to point men and women to Christ. We are grateful to Reformation Heritage Books for permission to use John Calvin's Thine Is My Heart as our daily devotional for 2013 on the OPC Web site. You can currently obtain a printed copy of that book from Reformation Heritage Books.

Dr. Joel Beeke, who is editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, has this to say:

"Calvin shows us the piety of a Reformed theologian who speaks from the heart. Having tasted the goodness and grace of God in Jesus Christ, he pursued piety by seeking to know and do God’s will every day. He communed with Christ, practicing repentance, self-denial, and cross-bearing. Moreover, his theology worked itself out in heart-felt, Christ-honoring piety. The selections of this devotional bear this out, and hopefully will be used by God to direct pious hearts in our own day."

These devotional readings from John Calvin were compiled by John H. Kromminga. Be sure to read his "Introduction" to John Calvin's Thine Is My Heart.