This week's sermon: "What Man Does in the New Birth"


What is our part in the new birth? Do we doing anything? Are we merely passive?


First Peter 1:22-23 teaches that we do have a part to play. Our "obeying the truth"—our believing the gospel—happens simultaneous to the new birth. Our believing is the acting out of the new birth. God gives belief, and we believe.


But don't miss the causality: Our believing does not cause the new birth. Rather, God's begetting causes our believing.


God is the ultimate actor, working by his Spirit and the powerful instrument of his gospel word.

David Mathis (@davidcmathis) is an elder at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Twin Cities, and works as executive pastoral assistant to John Piper. He and his wife Megan have twins sons (Carson and Coleman) and live in Minneapolis. David is co-editor (with John Piper) of Thinking, Loving, Doing, most recently, and Finish the Mission, forthcoming.