The Mercy That Saves
Brethren, salvation is not a work of man – it is the mercy of God poured out through the power of the Holy Ghost. Titus 3:5 declares, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.” It is mercy, not merit. Grace, not goodness.
The Spirit comes like cleansing water – “the washing of regeneration” – to scrub away the stain of sin and breathe new life into what was once dead. Have you felt that washing? Has your heart been made new, not by effort, but by encounter?
Jesus Himself said in John 3:5–6, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” The Spirit births what flesh cannot. Friends, religion can polish the outside, but only the Spirit gives life to the inside. Without Him, all our righteousness is as filthy rags. But when He comes, dead bones live again.
The Power That Transforms
Regeneration is not improvement – it is resurrection. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” The Spirit doesn’t patch the old heart; He replaces it. The old passes away, and all things become new. It’s like a dead tree suddenly sprouting green shoots after a rain – the Spirit brings unseen life to what once was lifeless.
Ezekiel 36:26–27 foresaw it: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.” That ancient promise still unfolds every time a sinner repents and believes. God Himself moves in, changing desires, speech, and thought.
Romans 8:2 says, “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” The chains are broken, not by willpower, but by the wind of God’s Spirit blowing through the soul.
The Prayer of a Renewed Heart
David’s cry in Psalm 51:10 echoes through the ages: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” O my soul, how many times have we tried to fix ourselves, only to fail again? David knew only God could make the heart right. The Spirit is the answer to that prayer – the unseen hand shaping us into Christ’s likeness.
Colossians 3:10 urges, “Put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” Renewal is not a one-time splash; it’s a daily stream. The Spirit keeps working, teaching, convicting, transforming. Ephesians 4:23–24 says, “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.”
Renewal begins inside – how you think, how you see, how you respond. The Spirit renews both heart and mind so that holiness becomes not a burden, but a joy.
The New Creation of Grace
Outward religion never saved a soul. Galatians 6:15 shouts, “In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.” It’s not the ritual but the renewal. Not ceremony, but change. The Holy Spirit makes us new by mercy, not performance.
And how does this renewal happen? 1 Peter 1:23 says, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God.” The Word and the Spirit work together – truth planted in the soil of the heart, watered by the Spirit, growing into new life. Friends, this is why hearing God’s Word matters. Every sermon, every verse can be the spark of new creation.
The Ongoing Work of Renewal
Salvation is the beginning, not the end. James 1:18 reminds us, “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth.” God willed your new birth, and He sustains it daily. Romans 12:2 calls us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The Spirit renews not just the soul, but the thought life, reshaping worldly patterns into godly wisdom.
2 Thessalonians 2:13 reveals the divine partnership: “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.” The Spirit sanctifies while faith responds. And John 1:12–13 declares that those who receive Christ “were born… of God.” You didn’t will your own birth – God did. That’s mercy in motion.
The Love and Strength of the Renewed Life
Romans 5:5 says, “The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.” Renewal fills us with love – not just human affection, but divine compassion. And though this life wears us down, 2 Corinthians 4:16 comforts us: “Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” Each morning, new mercy. Each trial, fresh grace.
Isaiah 40:31 promises, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” O weary believer, strength doesn’t come from striving – it comes from surrender. Wait, and the Spirit will breathe life again.
Romans 8:11 seals our hope: “He that raised up Christ… shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit.” The same Spirit who renews your heart now will one day raise your body then. Renewal today is the foretaste of resurrection tomorrow.
The Cleansing and Growth of the Spirit
Hebrews 9:14 asks, “How much more shall the blood of Christ… purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Renewal is not only about being made clean, but being made useful. The Spirit purifies so we can serve without guilt, love without fear, and walk without condemnation.
And finally, Isaiah 44:3–4 gives the image that sums it all up: “I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed… and they shall spring up as among the grass.” The Spirit is like rain on dry ground. Where He flows, life returns. Souls once barren now bloom with fruitfulness.
Final Call
Friends, the Spirit is still renewing today. He still washes, still breathes, still transforms. The mercy of God is not a relic of the past – it is present and powerful. Will you let Him renew you? Will you stop striving and start receiving?
Salvation is mercy. Renewal is mercy. Every breath of new life is mercy.
Come to the fountain. Be washed. Be renewed. And live – truly live – by the Spirit of the living God.
Call to Action: The Question That Demands an AnswerIn Acts 2:37 Peter and the Apostles were asked the question – What Shall We do? And in Acts 2:38 Peter answered, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Do you understand this? After hearing the gospel and believing, they asked what should would do. The answer hasn’t changed friend, Peter clearly gave the answer. The question for you today is, Have you receieved the Holy Spirit Since you believed? If you’re ready to take that step, or you want to learn more about what it means to be born again of water and Spirit, visit: Come, and let the Spirit make you new. |