CHOSEN AS HIS CHILDREN (BORN AGAIN)
Words and Music by Paul Keew, taken from 1 Peter 1 & 2
Tune name: BORN AGAIN
Chosen by the Father’s mercy,
Set apart to serve His Son,
Sanctified by His own Spirit—
Praise the Holy Three in One!
Saved by resurrection power,
Shielded in His faithful love;
Now, no enemy can tarnish
My inheritance above!
Refrain:
I’m born again!
I’m God’s own chosen child of mercy!
Born again! What love and grace!
Father keep me walking worthy
Till I look upon Your face
Led by wisdom into suff’ring,
Grieved by many trials below,
Yet rejoicing in His purpose,
That my faith as gold may glow.
Granted faith for overcoming,
Filled with love for Christ unseen;
Even angels cannot fathom
What salvation God will bring!
Fixed upon this hope completely,
As obedient children fear;
For the Holy One who called you
Purchased you with blood so dear.
Born anew from seed eternal,
By His lovingkindness spurred,
Lay aside all tasteless yearnings—
Crave the true and living Word!
Built on Christ, the sure foundation,
We are free from guilt and shame;
He is fitting us together
As a house to praise His name!
We are chosen as God’s people,
Called from darkness into light;
O what mercy now entreats us
To proclaim His glories bright!
© 2008 Watchsong (admin. Church Works Media). All rights reserved.
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NOTES
by Paul Keew
This song was born out of my personal study through the Epistle of 1 Peter. I found that a thread ran through and connected chapter 1 and the first part of chapter 2 — words like “born” (1:3, 23), “inheritance” (1:4), “children” (1:14), “Father” (1:17), and “infants” (2:2) clued me in to the familial tone of the section. Peter intends this kind of language to strengthen and encourage an audience going through some kind of harassment or persecution because of their faith in Christ. Lest they falter in their distress, Peter reminds them that God has not forgotten them. How could he forget his children — his chosen ones? God is using their trials to a glorious, refining, and redeeming purpose! Even the concept of God’s sovereign election (which cannot be ignored in the text — see 1:1-3, 15; 2:4, 9) is meant to be a comfort and a bedrock for their faith.
As I began to see these connecting threads, the verses seemed to arrange themselves into poetry and meter in my mind. The text is essentially a paraphrase of 1 Peter 1:1-2:10. The title “Chosen as His Children (Born Again)” encapsulated for me the thread that I had discovered in the passage. I first wrote the text following the tune of an old hymn called “Satisfied,” but using that tune as inspiration, I wrote a modern (yet hymn-like) tune of my own.
