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James 1:18
18 Of his own will
18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures. NASB
Here is a contrast. Man takes his God given intellect, moves beyond the legitimate limits established by God, and combines his wants and desires with lust, to produce sin.
Now if anyone wants to boast about being able to create something out of nothing, then sin is your product.
God, on the other hand, takes His will, combines it with truth and produces eternal life.
Which of the two are more honorable?
Jesus Christ went to the Cross, and paid the price demanded by sin and death. Jesus Christ defeated them both and became the first fruit, an example set forth for all of humanity.
Believers, who have believed in the Savior, who is Jesus Christ, whether born in the time of Adam, of Noah, of Job, of David, or at anytime in all of human history, are saved the very instant they believe in Christ.
That is the 'begat' being expressed here. Regeneration verses creation. Bringing man forth, is the act of regeneration of life into something (man), who otherwise does not have life. Physical life of the human body, and forever life of the human soul are not eternal life, a life that admits the believer into heaven to live with God or all of eternity.
The soul was created with forever life. That is what unbelievers have, and it is what will keep them alive in the Lake of Fire.
However, believers, are regenerated the very moment they believe in Christ. Their regeneration is a human spirit, into which eternal life takes up residence. This is where the phrase 'born again' comes from. The believer receives a regenerated life in the form of a newly created human spirit.
Once born, a person cannot be unborn. Once born, a person cannot reverse the process and return to the status of not being born. Thus, the new birth of the human spirit is permanent. Once saved, always saved. You cannot lose, or reverse, your eternal life or salvation status.
God did this in order to make us, humanity, the first fruits, after the pattern of Jesus Christ, for all of creation.
Were it not for Christ, there would be no further life. Were it not for believers in Christ being made new creatures again, there would be no further creation. Gods work is good. Mans work, your work, will never measure up to His standard.
