A Good Caused
Something came to light in worship this morning I couldn't wait to share. When we gather for worship, we have a time of confession of sin (first personally and silently, then corporately in a written prayer in the bulletin). Having confessed before God, we then hear the pronouncement of our hope of His forgiveness from His word. Today's selection was the following from Peter's first Epistle:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.... - 1 Peter 1:3
I highlight the words that struck me particularly powerfully this morning. When I got home, I did some study to see exactly how this was phrased in the Greek and translated into English. The highlighted words are one single Greek word, used only twice in the New Testament, here and 1 Peter 1:23. This word is rendered as "given us new birth" (NIV) and "hath begotten us again" (KJV), each of which conveys quite the same as the English Standard Version cited earlier.
The thing that struck me is this: our rebirth in Christ, our regeneration from the dead (see Ephesians 2:1-10) is God's initiative and work ("He has caused...."). The emphasis here is on God, and Peter is delighted to give Him the praise. So should we. While we are told to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12), we must never forget "it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! - Romans 7:25
Pressly
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.... - 1 Peter 1:3
I highlight the words that struck me particularly powerfully this morning. When I got home, I did some study to see exactly how this was phrased in the Greek and translated into English. The highlighted words are one single Greek word, used only twice in the New Testament, here and 1 Peter 1:23. This word is rendered as "given us new birth" (NIV) and "hath begotten us again" (KJV), each of which conveys quite the same as the English Standard Version cited earlier.
The thing that struck me is this: our rebirth in Christ, our regeneration from the dead (see Ephesians 2:1-10) is God's initiative and work ("He has caused...."). The emphasis here is on God, and Peter is delighted to give Him the praise. So should we. While we are told to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12), we must never forget "it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! - Romans 7:25
Pressly
