Our Living Hope!
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us
again to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead."
1 Peter 1: 3
The phrase “born again” doesn't occur in the Old
Testament. The idea of rebirth comes in various
ways. Humanity was “reborn” after the Flood and
Abraham figuratively received his son Isaac back
from the dead.
Jacob was given a new life after wrestling with God.
But none of these many figurative examples are the
same as the way Jesus used
the phrase.
Jesus said we must be spiritually born again in order
to enter God’s Kingdom (John 3:3). Peter said God
has “begotten us [given us a new birth] again to a
living hope.” Why a living hope?
Our new birth to eternal life is based on the “resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead.” What hope does a person
have who dies outside of Christ? None. But faith in the
resurrected Christ—the Christ who conquered death—
gives us “living hope.”
The Christian’s hope extends beyond the grave.
Give thanks to God today that you have been
born again to a living hope.
"If you are never born again,
you will wish you had
never
been born at all."
J. C. Ryle
