Write , and retain only first-order scalar cosmological perturbations. The inverse induced metric and inverse lapse function are
The flat background spatial connection vanishes, and is already first order. Consequently
The comma on matters: this is the gradient of the scalar shift vector potential, not an unrelated vector field. Substituting the time derivative of into the negative extrinsic curvature convention gives
Raising the first index with the perturbed inverse induced metric is essential. Its and terms cancel the corresponding terms multiplying the background Hubble parameter, leaving
For the scalar shear potential , raised spatial derivatives mean to the required order. Thus the final term is . Taking the trace identifies the scalar expansion perturbation:
Separating the trace and trace-free parts now yields
All signs follow from the source's shift vector convention and negative extrinsic curvature definition.