January 4, 2024

1 Peter 1:23a

Written by:
Rev (Dr) Prabhudas Koshy

READ:

1 Peter 1:23a

23a Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God.


EXHORTATION:

All genuine Christians are “born again”. A second birth other than the natural birth is mentioned here. Jesus in his conversation with Nicodemus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). So, being “born again” is to enter God’s kingdom. Jesus tells us, “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). In other words, no one enters His kingdom by virtue of his natural birth. Even though you are born to Christian parents, you do not enter His kingdom until you are born again.

Our text also says that our being born again is “not of corruptible seed”. In other words, it is not by means of any perishable seed of this earth. No earthly or human means, which are perishable, is sufficient to give us access into God’s kingdom.

Rather, as our text says, we are born again “of incorruptible, by the word of God”. It is only by means of the “incorruptible” or imperishable seed that one can be born again. This incorruptible seed, which is the imperishable life, is planted in a man “by the word of God”.

Here, “the word of God” is set forth as the means by which the incorruptible seed is implanted, that one may be born into God’s kingdom. James says in James 1:18, “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth”. The Word of God is the divine means of our regeneration. God’s Word has the power to give life to those “who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1).

Later in verse 25, Peter reminded his readers that “this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” The Word of God is brought to us by the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and by believing it, we are born again. How important it is that the Gospel be preached everywhere for the regeneration of men! Let us pray that the Lord will raise up preachers of His Word, and that His Spirit would empower them to preach the Gospel effectively. At the same time, let us praise God for the understanding of His Word that He has given to us, so that we might be born into His kingdom. Let us also love the Word of God and meditate upon it daily, that we may persevere in our spiritual life and bear fruits.

Category: 
Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Church adheres to the system of faith commonly known as the “Reformed Faith” as expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith together with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms.
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