He savedus, not on the basisof deedswhichwe have donein righteousness,but accordingto His mercy,by the washingof regenerationand renewingby the HolySpirit,
"Whatis man,that he should be pure,Or he who is bornof a woman,that he should be righteous?
"Howthen can a manbe justwith God?Or howcan he be cleanwho is bornof woman?
"ThoughI am righteous,my mouthwill condemnme; Though I am guiltless,He will declareme guilty.
O Israel,hopein the LORD;For with the LORDthere is lovingkindness,And with Him is abundantredemption.
And do not enterinto judgmentwith Your servant,For in Your sightnomanlivingis righteous.
Createin me a cleanheart,O God,And renewa steadfastspiritwithinme.
And lovingkindnessis Yours, O Lord,For You recompensea manaccording to his work.
But You, O Lord,are a Godmercifuland gracious,Slowto angerand abundantin lovingkindnessand truth.
For You, Lord,are good,and readyto forgive,And abundantin lovingkindnessto allwho callupon You.
"I will declareyour righteousnessand your deeds,But they will not profityou.
"Then I will sprinklecleanwateron you, and you will be clean;I will cleanseyou from allyour filthinessand from allyour idols.
Whois a GodlikeYou, who pardonsiniquityAnd passesoverthe rebelliousactof the remnantof His possession?He does not retainHis angerforever,BecauseHe delightsin unchanginglove.
"As for me, I baptizeyou with waterfor repentance,but He who is comingafterme is mightierthan I, and I amnot fitto removeHis sandals;He will baptizeyou with the HolySpiritand fire.
"AND HIS MERCYIS UPON GENERATIONAFTERGENERATIONTOWARD THOSEWHO FEARHIM.
"He has given helpto IsraelHis servant,In remembranceof His mercy,
To showmercytowardour fathers,And to rememberHis holycovenant,
Becauseof the tendermercyof our God,With whichthe Sunrisefrom on highwill visitus,
ifsomehowI might move to jealousymy fellow countrymenand savesomeof them.
But ifit is by grace,it is nolongeron the basisof works,otherwisegraceis no longergrace.
And do not be conformedto thisworld,but be transformedby the renewingof your mind,sothat you may provewhatthe willof Godis, that which is goodand acceptableand perfect.
becauseby the worksof the Lawnofleshwill be justifiedin His sight;for throughthe Law[comes] the knowledgeof sin.
For we maintainthat a manis justifiedby faithapartfrom worksof the Law.
But to the one who does not work,but believesin Him who justifiesthe ungodly,his faithis creditedas righteousness,
for though [the twins] were not yetbornand had not doneanythinggoodorbad,sothat God'spurposeaccordingto [His] choicewould stand,not becauseof worksbut becauseof Him who calls,
So thenit [does] not [depend] on the man who willsorthe man who runs,but on Godwho has mercy.
Whatshall we saythen?That Gentiles,who did not pursuerighteousness,attainedrighteousness,eventhe righteousnesswhich is by faith;
Suchwere someof you; but you were washed,but you were sanctified,but you were justifiedin the nameof the LordJesusChristand in the Spiritof our God.
neverthelessknowingthat a manis not justifiedby the worksof the Lawbut throughfaithin ChristJesus,evenwe have believedin ChristJesus,sothat we may be justifiedby faithin Christand not by the worksof the Law;sinceby the worksof the Lawnofleshwill be justified.
But God,beingrichin mercy,becauseof His greatlovewith whichHe lovedus,
and that you be renewedin the spiritof your mind,
sothat He might sanctifyher, having cleansedher by the washingof waterwith the word,
"It is not for your righteousnessor for the uprightnessof your heartthat you are goingto possesstheir land,but [it is] becauseof the wickednessof thesenations[that] the LORDyour Godis drivingthem out beforeyou, in orderto confirmthe oathwhichthe LORDsworeto your fathers,to Abraham,Isaacand Jacob.
and have puton the new selfwho is being renewedto a true knowledgeaccordingto the imageof the One who createdhim--
who has savedus and calledus with a holycalling,not accordingto our works,but accordingto His ownpurposeand gracewhich was grantedus in ChristJesusfrom alleternity,
But whenthe kindnessof Godour Saviorand [His] love for mankindappeared,
let us draw nearwith a sincereheartin full assuranceof faith,having our heartssprinkled[clean] from an evilconscienceand our bodieswashedwith purewater.
Thereforelet us draw nearwith confidenceto the throneof grace,sothat we may receivemercyand findgraceto helpin time of need.
and [then] have fallen away,it is impossibleto renewthem againto repentance,since they again crucifyto themselvesthe Sonof Godand put Him to open shame.
Blessedbe the Godand Fatherof our LordJesusChrist,who accordingto His greatmercyhas caused us to be born againto a livinghopethroughthe resurrectionof JesusChristfrom the dead,
for you oncewere NOT A PEOPLE,but nowyou are THE PEOPLEOF GOD;you had NOT RECEIVEDMERCY,but nowyou have RECEIVED MERCY.
Correspondingto that, baptismnowsavesyou-- not the removalof dirtfrom the flesh,but an appealto Godfor a goodconscience--throughthe resurrectionof JesusChrist,
