No man was born because he asked for it. How can one who does not exist ask to have his parents bring him forth? How, then, can we maintain that one is born again with that new spiritual life of Christ, which He realized for His church, because he asked for it? In Ephesians 2:1 Paul teaches us that God quickened, that is, made alive, people who were spiritually dead. God told Adam that the day he sinned he would die spiritually; and he did! His whole conduct showed that. And he brought forth a whole human race that comes into this world spiritually dead.
That is why Paul also, in Philippians 1:11 , writes, "Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." Now the spiritual rebirth of the child of God is one (and an extremely important one) of the fruits of the righteousness Christ earned for us. With that fruit we are filled. That means that we did not have it before God caused us to be born again.
Then too, Paul declares that this fruit of righteousness, that is, this new spiritual life God gave us, is "by Jesus Christ." That new spiritual life is a gift. It is not something we earned and got by fulfilling a condition. We believe because God engrafted us into Christ by faith, and in that way gave us the power to believe. Paul wrote this in Ephesians 2:8, 9 , when he taught us, "For by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." It is a gift of God, a free gift which in ourselves we do not deserve.
How much praise then do we not owe God! What a gracious work our salvation is! Can we glorify Him as much as He deserves?
We still have our sinful flesh that wants to boast of what we did. Pray to God that He may keep you from this, and keep you glorifying and praising Him for your salvation. Say it even as we sing it:
All that I am I owe to Thee,
Thy wisdom, Lord, hath fashioned me;
I give my Maker thankful praise,
Whose wondrous works my soul amaze.
( Psalm 139 )
Read: Ephesians 2:1-10
Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Jeremiah 2:31-37 ; Jeremiah 3 ; Jeremiah 4:1-18
Colossians 1:1-17
Psalm 76:1-12
Proverbs 24:21-22
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Quote for Reflections
“How amazing also is the kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ towards us, who, notwithstanding his greatness, and our extreme insignificance, ‘is not ashamed to call us brethren!’ Truly infinite is the distance with regard to dignity between Christ and us—Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and us, who, considered in the most favorable light, are as persons ‘born out of due time.’” ~ H. Witsuis
