vv 4-7 When God our Saviour revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.
What a wonderful statement of foundation beliefs concerning Christian Faith.
The whole emphasis is on Grace – God’s undeserved kindness. We don’t do God a favour by our worship or service or even by sacrificial giving of time and money. Spend some time today reflecting on the words and ideas that Paul uses in this section of the letter.
Kindness .. Love .. mercy .. new birth .. new life .. generously .. eternal life.
God is not seen as a kind of supernatural policeman, checking us at every turn, or issuing punishment when we go off limits. He is the God who gives. Here is another set of words, all action words, chosen from the verses.
Revealed .. saved .. washed .. poured out .. made us .. gave us.
They show us a God who is active in our lives, transforming us by His power.
All these expressions cause us to pause and consider how we view God. Is He simply the best of humanity, written large, or is He fundamentally ‘Other than us’? Wherever you see the best of humanity, write it a zillion times larger and you still have not described the character of God! Words have always failed to satisfactorily describe God’s person and character. Our minds are blown away even as we try to use everyday language to explain what God is like.
In these verses I sense that Paul struggles to convey what he knows and feels about God. Take them to heart today –perhaps even try to add to them – as you reflect on the impact God has had on your life.
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