Part 4. The Regenerating Power of God’s Word-- [If you have not read Parts 1, 2, & 3 of this blog, I recommend that you do so prior to reading Part 4.]

Part 4. The Regenerating Power of God’s Word

Peter extolled the regenerating power of God’s Word in I Peter 1: 22-25: “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,” (“corruptible,” meaning perishable and “incorruptible,” meaning nonperishable) “because ‘All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever.’ Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.”

Peter is declaring that the regeneration of the human spirit, that comes with being born again, and occurs when the believer obeys the Truth. Again, how does one know the “Truth,” but by The Word. We must remember that the Word of God is the ultimate “Truth” --- the ultimate reality! This obedience purifies the soul and is manifested in “sincere love of the brethren” and the ability to “love one another fervently with a pure heart.” By no other means can the human heart love in this manner! Without the transformation through the Word of God, the heart of man is so corrupted by human motives, self centered desires and deceits, imposed on it from within as well as from without. Our capacity to love is so bombarded and colored day to day by corrupt media and other people that, without daily washing with the Word, even any serious, well meaning Christian will fall prey to unrighteous thought patterns and thus worldly attitudes toward people both inside and outside of the body of Christ. Many Christians attest to the fact that after being born again, they have the capacity to love others with depth and purity that they never had before. How else can one offer selfless love or even love his or her enemies? It is compassion that can come only from the indwelling Spirit of Christ Jesus, infusing the believer’s own spirit, which is then washed and nurtured by the Word of God. And it is the believer’s responsibility to nurture him or herself with the Word. One who is not born again cannot even comprehend this kind of love, which is one reason we cannot expect non-Christians to understand Christians.

Look at this same passage in God’s Word for the Nations: “Love each other with a warm love that comes from the heart. After all, you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth. As a result you have a sincere love for each other. You have been born again, not from a seed that can be destroyed, but through God's everlasting word that can't be destroyed. That's why Scripture says, ‘All people are like grass, and all their beauty is like a flower of the field. The grass dries up and the flower drops off, but the word of the Lord lasts forever.’ This word is the Good News that was told to you.”

This passage speaks volumes about the regenerating power of God’s Word. How else could a mere human love so purely and completely? Let’s examine the meaning of “regenerate.” Strong’s #G1080, γεννάω, gennaō ghen-nah'-o: “From a variation of G1085; to procreate (properly of the father, but by extension of the mother); figuratively to regenerate: - bear, beget, be born, bring forth, conceive, be delivered of, gender, make, spring.” Also, #G3501, νέος, νεώτερος, neos neōteros, neh'-os, neh-o'-ter-os: A primary word, including the comparative (second form); ‘new’, that is, (of persons) youthful, or (of things) fresh; figuratively regenerate: - new, young.” From E-Sword Strong’s Dictionary. So, the knowing and obeying the instructions of God brings a transformation--- a regeneration. Look, also, at Webster’s New World Dictionary: “spiritually reborn. 2. renewed; restored; reformed. 1. to cause to be completely reformed or improved. 3. to bring into existence again; re-establish. 4. in electricity and radio, to amplify by feeding energy back from the output into the input circuit. 5. in biology, to grow (a part) anew, as a replacement for one hurt or lost. 1. to form again; be made anew. 2. to regenerate.” Did you catch that first definition, “to procreate (properly of the father…)”? The source of the begetting of the regenerated spirit is our Heavenly Father. I believe that my personal favorite of all these is from Webster--- “be made new.”

This is Huge! Are we capable of comprehending what I Peter 1:22-23 means to us? Only with God’s help! Let’s put these instructions on purity in love into a better context and read the preceding verses: “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’ And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believed in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” 1 Peter 1:13-21.  In these passages, Peter sets up the foundation that enables the brethren to love one another purely.

Matthew Henry’s comments on this passage, beginning at verse 13, are lengthy but extremely valuable. Let’s look --- in his own words and vintage spelling: “1Pe 1:13-23 - Here the apostle begins his exhortations to those whose glorious state he had before described, thereby instructing us that Christianity is a doctrine according to godliness, designed to make us not only wiser, but better.

I. He exhorts them to sobriety and holiness.

1. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, etc., 1Pe_1:13. As if he had said, ‘Wherefore, since you are so honoured and distinguished, as above, Gird up the loins of your mind. You have a journey to go, a race to run, a warfare to accomplish, and a great work to do; as the traveler, the racer, the warrior, and the labourer, gather in, and gird up, their long and loose garments, that they may be more ready, prompt, and expeditious in their business, so do you by your minds, your inner man, and affections seated there: gird them, gather them in, let them not hang loose and neglected about you; restrain their extravagances, and let the loins or strength and vigour of your minds be exerted in your duty; disengage yourselves from all that would hinder you, and go on resolutely in your obedience. Be sober, be vigilant against all your spiritual dangers and enemies, and be temperate and modest in eating, drinking, apparel, recreation, business, and in the whole of your behaviour. Be sober-mined also in opinion, as well as in practice, and humble in your judgment of yourselves.’ And hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Some refer this to the last judgment, as if the apostle directed their hope to the final revelation of Jesus Christ; but it seems more natural to take it, as it might be rendered, ‘Hope perfectly, or thoroughly, for the grace that is brought to you in or by the revelation of Jesus Christ; that is, by the gospel, which brings life and immortality to light. Hope perfectly, trust without doubting to that grace which is now offered to you by the gospel.’ Learn, (1.) The main work of a Christian lies in the right management of his heart and mind; the apostle's first direction is to gird up the loins of the mind. (2.) The best Christians have need to be exhorted to sobriety. These excellent Christians are put in mind of it; it is required of a bishop (1Ti_3:2), of aged men (Tit_2:2), the young women are to be taught it, and the young men are directed to be sober-minded, Tit_2:4, Tit_2:6. (3.) A Christian's work is not over as soon as he has got into a state of grace; he must still hope and strive for more grace. When he has entered the strait gate, he must still walk in the narrow way, and gird up the loins of his mind for that purpose. (4.) A strong and perfect trust in God's grace is very consistent with our best endeavors in our duty; we must hope perfectly, and yet gird up our loins, and address ourselves vigorously to the work we have to do, encouraging ourselves from the grace of Jesus Christ.