Finally alive by John Piper (available from Amazon or free on the internet here)
(i) washing;
(ii) renewal;
(iii) the kindness of God;
(iv) the philanthropy of God (love of humanity);
(v) the mercy of God.
Then in Chapter Eight Piper looks at the question, 'What is our involvement in the new birth?' The answer: 'Your involvement in the event of the new birth is to exercise faith - faith in the crucified and risen Son of God, Jesus Christ, as the Savior and Lord and Treasure of your life.'
I liked how after telling us how God brings the new birth, Piper showed us that Paul also tells us what is NOT involved in bringing the new birth: 'God is kind. God is loving toward humanity. God is merciful. That is how we were born again. God did it. Paul could have left it like that. Only positive statements. But he didn't. He was burdened to negate something. He said in verse 5, "He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness." He knows our tendencies. We tend to think that if something good happens to us, it must be because we did something good. Paul knows this about us. And he warns against it.'
Paul knew humanity in his day and he knows it in our day - we always want to take credit for anything good. But the new birth isn't our work. It is God's.
Next week's reading
Chapters Nine and Ten.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
2 comments:
Chapter 7:
I really like this chapter on regeneration. Piper reminds me that it’s the first instalment of what is coming. And why we need the new birth (Titus 3:3). Then comes v.4 of the same chapter: ‘But God…’ which leads into God’s goodness and lovingkindness.
I like his challenge: (p.93) ‘Let your very existence as a Christian tell you every hour of every day: God is kind to you.’
Chapter 8:
I was really interested in the fact that the Gospel is something we obey. And because we obey Jesus, our lives are radically changed and we care about all aspects of life and people
But God! The sections explaining "but God" are such good news! In Chapter 8 the analogy of the fire producing heat and light immediately compared to God working regeneration in us and us believing was an excellent example.
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