by Craig Dennison, Deputation Speaker

‘Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever’ (1 Peter 1.23).

The Bible describes a person becoming a Christian as being ‘born again’. The Lord Jesus Christ talked about this with a man named Nicodemus, who was confused and thought it meant literally being born again as a baby (read John 3.4). But the Lord Jesus Christ was not talking about our bodies. Instead, He meant our hearts and souls need to be made new by God.

In the Bible, the Apostle Peter uses the example of a seed to explain how we can be spiritually born again through the Gospel message which God communicates to us in the Holy Scriptures.

Peter writes about two kinds of seeds: corruptible and incorruptible. A corruptible seed is a bad seed which has no life, it will not grow and certainly won’t produce any fruit. It does not do what it was made to do. The bad seed is like living a life of sin—it is not how God intended us to live. It might make a false promise of happiness, but it can’t produce spiritual life and fruit in us.

The Holy Bible is the ‘incorruptible seed’ because it comes directly from our Creator. In this perfect book God describes the misery of sin, the emptiness of life without God, and salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the seed the Holy Spirit uses to change us and bring new life to our souls. The Word of God is essential to salvation. 

As good seed grows in the soil and has fruit, likewise God’s Word will produce fruit in the life of the Christian. You can read about these in Galatians 5.22–23. The Bible helps us live how God wants. When we read the Bible, God is speaking to us. Peter says the Word of God ‘liveth’. It is as living today as it always was.

The Bible comes directly from the mouth of the living God. It tells us about the problem of sin, the emptiness of life without Him, and how we can be saved through Jesus. The Holy Spirit uses the Bible to help us grow as Christians. Like how a good seed grows into a plant, God’s Word helps us grow in love, joy, peace, and more.

Peter also says the Word of God ‘abideth for ever’. Even though people have tried to destroy and ban the Bible, it has survived for many years and is still read by millions today. God promised that His Word would last forever, and no one can stop this by their evil plans.