Of His Own Will Begot He Us Part Two

James 1:18

            Of his own will begot he us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

             Begot he us by the word of truth; he, in this clause has reference to God; and it may be said that the three persons of the Godhead are in view. The first cause of the creation of the race of men is that the infinite glory of God’s immutable love, purpose and grace as well as his justice, truth, and holiness should be made manifest by God’s dealings with them, the highest privilege of the race is that they may enjoy fellowship with God forever. In Ephesians 1:3-5 the Apostle Paul declares the election and predestination of certain persons by God the Father; to adoption of children by Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of the Father’s will. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places” (in the everlasting covenant of grace, or in the heavenlies, or in heavenly things, all to the same purport) “in Christ, According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him, in love having predestinated us unto the adoption of children to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,”. Then in verse 6 the Apostle gives the reason for these actions; “To the praise of the glory of his grace, through which he made us accepted in the beloved;” thus election and predestination are ascribed to God the Father, to the praise of the glory of his grace.

 Next: in Ephesians 1:7-12; Redemption by the blood of Christ, is declared, and the reason of it given as “the praise of his glory”. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgivness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, In which he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself; That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are in earth, even in him; In whom we have an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ;”

Then in Ephesians 1:13&14 the effectual call of the Spirit is in view, and the reason of it “unto the praise of his glory”. “In whom ye also trusted, (that is Christ) after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after ye believed, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

From this it may be ascertained that the existence of the church is in the first place: unto the manifestation of the glory of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The instrumental medium in the effectual call (or spiritual birth) of those ordained to eternal life (Acts 13:48) is the word of truth.

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth; in the scriptures to beget is to cause to conceive. Thus: Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs. The cause of natural conception is the seed of the father, so that it may be said that the seed of the father is the instrumental cause of conception, or the producing cause. That which is born of the flesh is flesh (this is natural birth) and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (this is spiritual birth). As natural seed is the producing cause in natural birth; so, spiritual seed is the producing cause is spiritual birth. The immediate producing cause of spiritual birth is the power of the Holy Ghost, the instrumental means used by the Holy Ghost, in producing that birth is the word of truth. The bare word; apart from the power of the Holy Spirit will not produce a spiritual birth, “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not prophet them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” (Hebrews 4:2). Now faith is the fruit of the Spirit, (Galatians 5:22); so that where faith is, there is the presence and powerful operation of the Holy Spirit. For He it is that generates and gives faith by the word, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”(Ephesians 2:8), and  “faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17). So that the word; planted in the heart of any sinner, by the Holy Ghost, is the whole immediate producing cause of the spiritual birth of that particular sinner. The first cause of the spiritual birth of any is the will of God the Father according to election, (I Peter 1:2). The procuring cause, is redemption of that sinner by the blood of Jesus Christ, (Ephesians 1:6); (Romans 3:25). As stated earlier; the immediate producing cause is the word of truth planted in the heart by the Holy Spirit, for “of his own will begat he us by the word of truth.”

A.J.Ison