New birth into a living hope
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“New birth” is not an optional extra, or the exclusive emphasis of those who label themselves as “born again Christians”. To become part of God’s people, we need to be born anew into the family of God. How this happens was a puzzle even when Jesus spoke about it but he made clear that it’s a spiritual rebirth (Jn.3:3-8) which God does in us when we believe in Jesus (Jn.1:12-13).
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That’s only possible because of God’s great mercy (3) – it’s because of his great love for us that he gives us the gift of new birth so that we can become his children (1 Jn.3:1), thus sharing in all the privileges and benefits of being part of his family. That includes the hope of resurrection to eternal life – hope that is both living and secure because it’s rooted in the resurrection of Jesus himself (Heb.6:19-20; 1 Th.4:13-14).
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And because we are God’s children we are also his heirs (Rom.8:17) – our hope includes the prospect of an eternal and indestructible inheritance (4). This too is God’s gift of grace to us as his children, for our destiny is to be like him in his glory (1 Jn.3:2) and in all that “God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor.2:9). New birth is just the start of it. Praise be to God!