God has caused us to be born again
He has caused us to be born again. Now, understand this – He has caused it, as He causes all things! The Scripture is explicit and unequivocal on the sovereignty of God in all things. Psalm 136:5, “Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.” If it happens, He does it. Here, the Holy Spirit tells us explicitly, He has caused us to be born again. He didn’t encourage it, didn’t make it possible, didn’t permit it, didn’t give some sort of spark of life, or seed of righteousness, or whatever – He caused us to be “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
He has caused all of this, all of the hope of Heaven, all of eternal life, all of it. He has caused our salvation. It doesn’t say he cooperated in it, hoped for it, wanted it, suggested it – He caused it. This cannot be interpreted away as something God does partially, cooperatively, synergistically. He has caused us to be born again. 1 Timothy 1:15, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.” He didn’t come to make salvation possible for the human being to accept! He came to save. The gospel is complete – God waits for no human being to complete it. Yes, the sinner must turn from their sin and put their faith in Christ, but the turning and the faith are gifts of God. The sinner is incapable of making these moves toward God in his own power.
Our certain inheritance belongs to the One Who caused it all. He doesn’t share His glory by only making possible what must then be apprehended by the sovereign free human will. He causes our salvation by doing all of the steps that are necessary, including exercising His sovereign control over the human will.