The Declaration Of The Gospel

Let us muse today from John 1:12-13 and the theme of the Gospel according to the new birth. Today I draw our attention to the declaration of the Gospel and its consideration. In verse 12 we will consider the process of the new birth. In our text we are told that there are two things performed by man and they are receive and believe. The word receive has the idea of to lay hold on or to obtain for oneself. The word indicates that the ones who are receiving are in a passive state and the action is being done to them. The other element mentioned in our text is to believe. This is the Greek word for faith which means to totally rely upon another. We know from Paul’s writings that man was not born with the faith gene but it is a gift from God. In considering the process of the new birth we would have to say with Jonah that salvation is of the Lord.