Tag: new birth
The mystery of Godliness
Scripture reading for September 13: 1st Timothy 3, Psalm 33, Proverbs 28
1st Timothy 3:14-16 “I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the Church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.”
Paul had just instructed Timothy about choosing leaders in Christ’s Church. The qualifications were all about morality, character and love of truth. But Paul knew that human effort to produce godly character was not enough. There was a ‘mystery’ about the process of new birth and transformation by the Holy Spirit. Each believer must be born again through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. They then are given the Holy Spirit as a down-payment on the fullness of salvation. The Holy Spirit lives in believers and forms Christ’s character and love for God and others in them. This process is not necessarily visible to human eyes, but God’s grace is transforming believers to a life of worship and witness based on the Word that is applied by faith.
Psalm 33:8-9 “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him! For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Jesus Christ, the revelation of Godliness to us who believe. We stand in awe of Him and through His blood receive cleansing from sin’s defilement and power. I invite the Holy Spirit to continue Your work of transformation in me as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. Apply Your Holy Word and let the mystery of godliness grow in my life today.
Proverbs 28:10 “Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way will fall into his own pit, but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance.”
New Birth and a Living Hope!
Scripture reading for November 9th: 1 Peter 1
Peter, along with James and John, was one of the three disciples closest to Jesus Christ. Peter also denied His Lord three times during Jesus’ trial before the crucifixion. Peter wept bitterly and was later restored by the Lord after the resurrection. As recorded by John, Peter was told by Jesus that he would eventually die for his faith. (John 21:18-19)
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:3-7)
Peter understood the ‘new birth’ because of his own experience! Jesus Christ had breathed on him and sent him to preach the good news of forgiveness of sins. (John 20:22) He had seen Jesus Christ in His resurrection body and knew Him as the ‘Living Hope’ for his own life and all who would believe! (2nd Peter 1:16) He knew that at Jesus’ return, he and the Church would enjoy the full salvation promised by Christ–a resurrected body–like His glorious body! He also knew that only genuine faith would result in joy at Christ’s return! Are you resting totally Christ’s sacrifice for you? Only those who have experienced new birth in Christ will enjoy full salvation!
To God’s elect!
Scripture reading for November 22nd: 1st Peter 1:1-12
Peter was one of the Twelve disciples. Peter was notoriously impulsive and sometimes very fickle in his walk with Jesus. Jesus chose him, not for his perfection, but because of God’s sovereign purpose. Peter faithfully served the Lord by ministering mainly to Jews in the early church. We have two letters written by him to encourage those suffering persecution as believers in Christ. These speak to us today!
“To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.” (1st Peter 1:1-2)
Peter began his letter by addressing those who would receive it. He first stated that they were God’s elect! God the Father chose them by His foreknowledge to be a part of His family. God knows the hearts of all men and chooses them. This does not mean that we do not have free will. God knows how we will choose and knows us completely from before creation! (Ephesians 1:4-5)
He told the believers that they were scattered by God. The term ‘scattered’ was a farming term used of the farmer that purposely placed the seed in soil where it would grow and produce a crop. Each believer is placed by God like seed. God’s purpose for us is that we will produce fruit–a crop of righteousness–for His glory!
To enable this, God’s gift of grace to us is the gift of His righteousness brought to us by the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit indwells us upon our obedience of placing faith in Christ’s sacrifice. The Holy Spirit works within us to sanctify us, that is to make us holy and complete.
“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1st Peter 1:9-10) What a privilege we share with the recipients of this apostolic letter from Peter! Thank the Lord for His calling and saving grace!