- “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” The difference that was the focus of the previous passage was not because of what we have achieved and is not because of what we will achieve but because of what God has and will accomplish in us as we yield ourselves to him. In other words, the kind of person we will become from here on is only possible because God makes it possible as we follow and obey him. Does this make sense or is this just a way of disguising the fact that we just have to try to be good and do good?
I think the bible is very clear about the 100% failure rate of our efforts in “rebirth and renewal” if we are doing so without the Holy Spirit. What the passage is clear about is that God has given us the greatest power possible—the Holy Spirit himself—for us to accomplish this, meaning that “rebirth and renewal” is not something trivial. The problem is that we do not have clear and specific steps to take to appropriate the power of the Holy Spirit for our sanctification. I think this is because, if I were to understand what the Bible is teaching me, it is all about our relationship with God and our perseverance and faith. In other words, it is not so much the Holy Spirit taking hold of us and forcing us to change, but that as we walk with God through obedience and prayer we open ourselves to the change that the Holy Spirit wants to perform in us. In other words, the exercise of our will plays an important role in allowing the Holy Spirit to change and transform us.
- What is the difference between this and a religion with rules that we have to follow, telling us that we must be good and do good? What is God’s promise to us?
The Holy Spirit. Forgiveness for our failures, past, present and future so we can continue to find strength and support in him and thus persevere. Victory at the end of the day: “ … having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”
- “This is a trustworthy saying.” Do you agree that what Paul is saying is something that you can live your life upon, knowing that victory is ours in the end?
Haha … yes. After all we have no other avenue and the alternative is abject failure.