Peter 1:23 For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God. (Author’s translation)
1 Peter 1:23 For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God. (Author’s translation) 1 John 5:1 Whoever believes that Jesus (emphasizing His humanity) is the Christ (the Messiah, the Savior of the world) is born of God. (NASB95) Titus 3:4 But when the kindness, yes the love for mankind originating from the Savior who is our God was manifested, 5 He saved us, by no means on the basis of meritorious actions as constituting its source. In other words, on the basis of human self-righteousness which we ourselves have done. But rather on the basis of His mercy as constituting the standard, by means of a washing produced by regeneration, specifically, a renovation produced by the Spirit who is holy. (Author’s translation) “Renovation” in Titus 3:5 refers to the Holy Spirit appropriating for the justified sinner the benefits of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection which results in a spiritual birth or in other words it results in entering them into a new relationship with the triune God.
So in Titus 3:5, Paul is teaching that the Holy Spirit is the intermediate agency involved in the Christian’s salvation. The Lord Jesus Christ provided for all of sinful humanity the offer of eternal salvation as a result of His death and resurrection. While on the other hand, at the moment of conversion, the Holy Spirit appropriates the benefits of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on behalf of those sinners who are declared justified by the Father through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ solved several problems for sinful humanity. He delivered all of sinful humanity from eternal condemnation, condemnation from the Law, the sin nature, personal sins, Satan and his cosmic system. When the sinner trusts in Jesus Christ as Savior, the Holy Spirit appropriates for them this deliverance over these things. Thus, Paul makes clear that the Holy Spirit is instrumental in the Christian’s salvation.
The Bible teaches that God as to His nature, is love.
1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. (NASB95) God is love itself. Love is an attribute of God and thus originates with Him. The love of God is of the very essence of God. God’s character and nature, His Person is love.
