Posted on 03/28/2013 11:12:38 AM PDT by fishtank
Born Again by the Word of God by John D. Morris, Ph.D. | Mar. 28, 2013
"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." (1 Peter 1:23)
Our rebirth into the family of God is quite unlike our natural birth. All human birth and, indeed, due to the universal curse placed on all creation (Romans 8:20-22) at the time of Adam's rebellion (Genesis 3), all plant (1 Peter 1:24) and animal reproduction as well, is "of corruptible seed," withering and dying.
Our spirits, however, if we have availed ourselves of God's free offer of eternal life through the death of His dear Son, have been reborn of "incorruptible" seed, not subject to decay or death. The agent which brought about this transformation is the incorruptible "word of the Lord |which| endureth for ever" (v. 25).
This "word" is modified by two descriptors, both of which are emphatic in the Greek. First, it liveth; i.e., it actually possesses life. His sacrificial death yields our eternal life. Note the precious truth: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). Secondly, the Word of God "abideth" (same word as "endureth" in verse 25) forever. There are two emphases here: One is on the quality of the Word; i.e., it will never change or lose its relevance. The other is on the self-perpetuating nature of the Word. It so consists of life that it is able to give life.
"This is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you" (1 Peter 1:25), by which we are born again to incorruptibility and immortality. "That by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:4). JDM
VERY timely.
We are not "born again" by being born into an earthly family, nor by ritual baptism, but only by grace through the hearing of faith.
If John Morris told me the sky was blue, I’d have to go out and check. His organization has done more to destroy the cause of Christ than it ever did to advance it.
Well, I completely disagree, which is why I regularly post articles from ICR on FR.
fishtank
PhD, Mechanical Engineering
Texas A&M
No, it really isn’t.
They are metaphorically identical, which is why Nicodemus asked Jesus if he had to crawl back into his own mother’s womb to be reborn.
Yes, the “begotten from above” is literal, but it is functionally the same as being “born-again”.
Being “born-again” is the result of the hearing of faith, it does not happen at baptism, for example.
That is a quite common misconception. (no pun intended).
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