Slideshow image

BORN TO BE AMERICAN

I'M SO THANKFUL THAT I WAS BORN AMERICAN. WHILE THERE ARE PLENTY OF HISTORICAL AND CURRENT SHORTCOMINGS, BEING A CITIZEN OF A COUNTRY THAT ESPOUSES THINGS LIKE FREEDOM OF:

  • SPEECH
  • PRESS
  • WORSHIP
  • ETC.

IS A REAL GIFT. ONE OF THE WILDEST PARTS (FOR MANY) ABOUT BEING AMERICAN IS THAT YOU'RE JUST KIND OF "BORN" THIS WAY. IT MIGHT BE BECAUSE:

  • YOU WERE BORN TO A PARENT THAT IS AMERICAN OR
  • SIMPLY BORN ON AMERICAN SOIL

EITHER WAY, THE GREAT HISTORY, LEGACY, AND PRIVILEGE OF BEING AMERICAN (FOR MANY) IS SIMPLY BY BIRTH.

THERE'S A SIMILAR IDEA HAPPENING IN 1 PETER 1:3.

1 PETER 1:3

PETER HAS JUST FINISHED HIS OPENING STATEMENTS TO THE EXILES SCATTERED IN THESE NEW CHURCH PLANTS ALL OVER ASIA MINOR AND THEN HE SAYS:

"3 BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST! ACCORDING TO HIS GREAT MERCY, HE HAS CAUSED US TO BE BORN AGAIN TO A LIVING HOPE THROUGH THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD..."

IF YOU'VE BEEN A PART OF EVAGELISTICALLY DRIVEN CHRISTIAN CIRCLES FOR SOME TIME, YOU'VE HEARD THIS PHRASE OFTEN - "BORN AGAIN."

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHEN PEOPLE LIKE JOHN, PETER, AND PAUL USE THIS PHRASE IN THEIR WRITINGS, THEY AREN'T BORROWING FROM ROMAN, PAGAN, OR GNOSTIC THINKING AND IMPORTING IT TO CHRISTIANITY.

ON THE CONTRARY, THEY ARE IMPORTING A JEWISH-IDEA WITH A UNIQUE TWIST.

IN JEWISH THINKING, A PERSON WAS A PART OF GOD'S COVENANT PEOPLE (IE - ELECT, CHOSEN, ETC.) SIMPLY BY BEING "BORN" JEWISH, AND THEN CONSEQUENTLY FOLLOWING THE LAW. HOWEVER, GOD WAS RESHAPING AND EXTENDING HIS COVENANT PEOPLE TO INCLUDE GENTILES, AS WELL AS INVITING THE HISTORIC-COVENANT PEOPLE TO BECOME THE NEW-COVENANT PEOPLE. ALL OF THIS WAS GOING TO BE DONE BY BEING "BORN AGAIN."

THIS BEING "BORN AGAIN" WAS GOING TO INCLUDE ALL THE HISTORIC BENEFITS OF BEING THE PEOPLE OF GOD, INCLUDING AN IMPERISHABLE INHERITANCE (V. 4).

BE BORN AGAIN

THIS INVITATION TO BE "BORN AGAIN" INTO GOD'S NEW-COVENANT PEOPLE STILL STANDS AND IS STILL BEING EXTENDED TO EVERY NEW TRIBE, NATION, PEOPLE GROUP, AND GENERATION.

THIS MEANS WE CAN HAVE ACCESS TO ALL OF GOD'S PROMISES BY BEING A PART OF THIS NEW-COVENANT PEOPLE.

THIS TYPICALLY MEANS BEING A PART OF A LOCAL COMMUNITY THAT IS PRACTICING:

  • OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE READING
  • WORSHIP AND PRAYER
  • BAPTISM AND COMMUNION
  • HISTORICAL CREEDS AND CONFESSIONS

THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT BEING A PART OF A LOCAL COMMUNITY THAT PRACTICES THESE THINGS THAT HELPS ANCHOR US IN THE GLOBAL NEW-COVENANT COMMUNITY AND HELPS THESE PRACTICES SEEP INTO THE DOMESTIC CHURCH (IE - OUR HOMES).

SO IF THERE IS AN ENCOURAGEMENT FOR YOU TODAY:

  • BE A PART OF GOD'S NEW-COVENANT PEOPLE
  • LAY HOLD OF ALL GOD'S PROMISES
  • BE "BORN AGAIN"