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1 Peter 1:23-25

September 20, 2007

Text: 1 Peter 1:23-25 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you (KJV).

Begotten from above

1 Peter 1:23 ~~Being born again~~ Being begotten from above, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

“From above” means from God the Father

James 1:17-18 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

“Begotten from above” in order to “see the kingdom of God”

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born [or begotten] again [“from above,” YLT] he cannot see the kingdom of God.

“Begetting” is in reference to spiritual enlightenment

Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding having been enlightened; that ye have known [or seen – same word as in John 3:3] what is the hope of his calling (“unto His kingdom and glory,” 1Thes.2:12), and what the riches of the glory (of the kingdom Mk.10:37& Mt.20:21) of his inheritance in [with or among] the saints (“in the kingdom of Christ,” Eph.5:5).

An example

Matthew 16:16-17 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God (“the king of Israel,” Jn.1:49; Mk.15:21). 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

All man receives is given from heaven

John 3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

Daniel 2:19 “…the God of heaven. 21 …he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.”

Not everyone “SEE’S” the kingdom of God

Acts 28:23-28 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. 24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. 25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the prophet unto our fathers, 26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: 27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross [insensitive], and their ears are dull of hearing [not attentive], and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted [turned back], and I should heal them (“their backslidings,” Jer.3:22; Hos.14:4). 28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

The Father’s covenant love for his children

1 John 3:1 Behold [Gk. oida – see – as in Jn.3:3] what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us [from above Jn.3:3], that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know [Gk. oida – see – as in Jn.3:3] that when He is revealed [or when He appears], we shall be like Him (in the resurrection), for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.(NKJ)

Begotten…by the word of God

1 Peter 1:23 Being begotten from above, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

The Father…beget he us with the word of truth

James 1:17-18 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

The gospel

Ephesians 1:13 In whom (Christ v.12) ye also hoped, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Colossians 1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

The gospel of the kingdom includes baptism

Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the gospel, the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women (MKJV).

Begotten through the gospel

1 Corinthians 4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

Jesus defined the seed

Luke 8:10-11 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

The incorruptible seed

1 Peter 1:23 Being begotten from above, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

The incorruptible God

Romans 1:23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man -- and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

The incorruptible King

1 Timothy 1:17 and to the King of the ages, the incorruptible, invisible, only wise God, {is} honour and glory -- to the ages of the ages! Amen. (YLT)

His seed abides in those begotten of God

1 John 3:9 No one who is born [begotten] of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born [begotten] of God.

Incorruptible body

1 Corinthians 15:42,50-52 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Incorruptible crown

1 Corinthians 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

He hath begotten us… to an incorruptible inheritance

1 Peter 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us ~~again~~ from above unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

All that is corruptible is passing away

1 Peter 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

Let man glory in this

Jeremiah 9:23-24 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: 24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

Man does not endure

Job 14:1-2 "Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. 2 He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure

The gospel endures in view of the coming age

1 Peter 1:25 But the word of the Lordendureth ~~for ever~~ [or in view of the coming age]. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

He that does the will of God endures to the age

1 John 2:17 “…the world doth pass away, and the desire of it, and he who is doing the will of God (in view of entering into the kingdom of heaven, Mt.7:21), he doth remain -- to the age.” (YLT)

The glory that fadeth not away

1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Seek after this glory

Romans 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: