Born Again By The Gospel Word
Verse 23 of the first Chapter of First Peter teaches the same truth as James 1: 18, that the Christian spiritual birth is "of God" and "through the word." James said that the Father "begat us with the word of truth," and Peter says "being born again of incorruptible seed by the word of God." That "word" through which God effects spiritual rebirth is the same in both instances, being the word of the gospel.
Before we look closely at verse 23, I want us to look at other verses in the context dealing with this birth and salvation.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (I Peter 1: 3)
Here the subject of the new birth is introduced. Is there anything in these words that opposes Hardshellism's description of it? Yes, there is. Peter says that those begotten are begotten "to" something. Something is the product of this birth. Life is a product of this birth, so had Peter said - "begotten unto life," he would be correct and it would be a statement that Hardshells would accept. Life is indeed the product of this divine "begetting." But, is "life" alone the product or characteristic of it? What does Peter say is also produced in this begetting? "Hope" he says! Is hope created in the begetting work according to the Hardshell understanding of it? No, it is not. But, a man under conviction, and who has not yet believed in Christ, has no hope. So Paul said to the Ephesians that they were "without God" and "without hope" before their conversion to Christ. (Eph. 2: 12) Hope cannot be divorced from faith and understanding. Regeneration produces hope in those who experience it, hope in Christ.
"Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." (vss. 9-11)
This "salvation of the soul" is what is effected when the soul is "begotten" and infused with hope. To try and make this a salvation that is only temporal represents a refusal to be honest with the text. Does the apostle not define the kind of "salvation"? "Which salvation the prophets testified about," that "salvation" that involves the impartation of divine "grace," that kind that results from the sufferings of Christ. How can Hardshells legitimately deny that this is eternal salvation? Does he not say that it is "received" and that by "faith"? These words deny the Hardshell representation of regeneration.
"...them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven." (vs. 12)
Notice that those who preach the gospel do it "with (or through) the Holy Ghost." When the Holy Spirit and his power accompanies preaching sinners are then born again. So we read in the book of Acts, that during such Holy Ghost preaching "the hand of the Lord" accompanied it, resulting in a "great number believing and turning to the Lord." (Acts 11: 21)
Hardshells do not believe that there is power in the gospel, when accompanied by the Holy Spirit and divine power, to raise dead sinners to spiritual life. Yet, Jesus said "my words are spirit and they are life." (John 6: 63) Paul said that "the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes it." (Rom. 1: 16) It saves, it regenerates and converts.
"...who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead..." (vs. 21)
When Hardshells read a verse that says we are born again "of God" or "by Christ," they infer a sovereign irresistible work, a work without the means of the word. But, will they be consistent and argue the same when confronted with these words of Peter who said that we "believe" also "by him"? The truth is, that just as our spiritual birth is "by him" so is our coming to faith and repentance also "by him." As I have shown previously, the work of regeneration is described as being made a believer. (Eph. 1: 19)
"Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit..." (vs. 22)
Notice that the purification of souls comes through obeying (believing) the truth, the gospel truth, and that this obedience and faith is done "through the Spirit." Now, we know that one is not made a believer apart from the preaching of the gospel per Paul in Romans 10. So, we are made believers by the Spirit's making use of preaching to beget life and faith. What is said of regeneration/new birth in scripture is also said about faith. Compare these two verses.
"They that are in the flesh (not spiritually born) cannot please God." (Rom. 8: 8) "Without faith it is impossible to please God." (Heb. 11: 6) We cannot please God without regeneration and we cannot please God without faith. Faith and regeneration are coupled together because faith, with hope, is created in regeneration at the same time life is generated. Regenerated by faith, purified by obeying the truth.
Notice too the reference to "the truth." This is not a reference to Jesus, though he is "the way, the truth, and the life." But, it is a reference to the gospel.
Paul taught the same in Romans 6: 17, 18.
"But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness."
When were they "made free from sin"? Before their obedience to the gospel? Apart from their faith?
"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." (vs. 23-25)
The Hardshells see how these words, like the words of James 1: 18, teach that the gospel is a means in the birthing of sinners and they go to work on the passage in order to make it say something other than what it plainly says. They will either say that the "word" here is either Jesus Christ or that word that Christ personally speaks to the heart of the dead sinner, on the subconscious level, apart from the gospel, and which makes the soul to live. But, the context will not allow this abnormal usage of the term "word of God" or "word of the Lord."
Throughout the first chapter there is reference to this word, this truth, and it means the divine communication made in the gospel. So, why does it not mean that here? The only reason the Hardshells can give is because it involves means and therefore make "the word" to mean something different than what it denotes in all the verses surrounding verse 23. Bad hermeneutics!
In helping to identify what Peter has in mind when he says "by the word of God which lives and abides forever" all we have to do is to look at the passage in Isaiah that is alluded to by Peter when he says "the word of the Lord endures forever." In looking at the passage in Isaiah 40: 8 we notice how it is the same as "what the mouth of the Lord hath spoken," or to his oracles, and is the same as the "good tidings" or the gospel.
"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." (2: 2)
I know that the "word" here is not "logos," as in 1: 23, but "rhema," but it still is referring to the gospel.
"Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." (2: 7-9)
These contextual verses say much that is in opposition to Hardshellism's portrayal of what it means to be "begotten" of God. Since Hardshells divorce faith from regeneration, they cannot see the verse as saying - "unto you which have been regenerated he is precious" - because they deny that regeneration involves imparting love and adoration for Christ. To them a man can be regenerated and yet despise Christ. But, clearly Peter does not divorce faith in Christ from life in Christ. Being made "alive" is all the same as being made a "believer." Further, what does Peter say of those who do not believe and allow Christ? Does he say that they are nevertheless saved and begotten? Or, does he say that they were "appointed" to it, being of those not chosen? When he says "BUT you are a chosen generation," he is contrasting believers with unbelievers. The believers are equated with those who are chosen and those who are unbelievers are equated with those who have not been chosen.
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