The Book of Titus. Pt. 6

Good morning to everyone.....

It seems we have flipped the switch and jumped right into summer weather. The mornings are the best time to get outside and water gardens and plants. This keeps them vigorous and fresh.

This next section of the book of Titus is also filled with truth that that will keep our spirit revived, reinvigorated and filled with fresh zeal for our God.

Now, we are going to get into a part of this book that fills me with joy, encouragement and satisfaction. Chapter 3 of Titus is a wonderful, powerful and grace filled conclusion to Paul's letter. we will need 2 posts to finish this tremendous text of scripture. 

Yes, there is some duty to go with the doctrine that Paul has given us, but it is joyful to see God's will clearly marked out for us to follow.

Titus 3:1-2     Remember these things. Bring them into your minds again. 

In the first 2 verses of the closing chapter of this letter, Paul begins with the word "put." This particular Greek word means to cause them to remember or to bring this in front of them so that they recall it. Ths word is used twice in the phrase "Put them in mind..." Any time that a word is used consecutively in the same verse, the Spirit of God is laying a heavy emphasis upon its meaning. 

What Paul is asking Titus to do is perfectly consistent with what the Old Testament authors endeavored to do for the Hebrews and Israelites. The following texts from the book of Psalms shows why this is so important. 

Psalm 77 shows us that remembering what God has done facilitates meditation on the greatness of God and what He is currently doing. It fills our hearts with joy and awe.

Psalm 77:10-13    And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.¹¹  I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.¹²  I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.¹³  Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?


Psalm 105 shows us that remembering is the key to offering thanksgiving to God. It is the key to telling others about God. It is the key to rightly worshipping Jehovah. It causes us to glory in HIs holy name.

Psalms 105:1-5 O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. 
Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.
Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

Psalm 143 shows us remembering is the key to seeking the Lord when we are experiencing tough and difficult times. 

Psalm 143:4-6 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.
I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land.

Here is what Paul is telling Titus to help the people remember. First, Paul wants the Christians in Crete to be good citizens and support their government. This is a consistent theme articulated by the Apostle. It is helpful to recall that Paul wrote these things even when the evil emperor Nero was ruling in Rome. 

For comparison, we can see what he wrote to the church at Rome.

Romans 13:1-3 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 

Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.

Next, Paul wants Titus to remind the Christians in Crete to be ready to participate in every good work. This might be ministry opportunities within the church. It might be ministry opportunities to those outside the church. It could even be civic projects that benefit their communities. Paul wants them to be prepared and ready to serve Christ whenever and wherever a door opens. 

Paul wants Titus to remind the Christians in Crete to not be those who speak maliciously about other people. Furthermore, he does not want them involved in any type of brawling or fighting. Rather, Paul wants them to have the fruit of the Spirit evident in their lives, which includes meekness and gentleness. 

Paul's message is to remember these things so that you are ready to work, ready to serve, and so that you respond with the character of Christ instead of anger or malice. 

Titus 3:1-2 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, 
To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.

Titus 3:3     Remember what your "old man" was like and put on the "new man" created in Christ Jesus. 

In the 3rd verse, Paul brings in the new birth. It seems as if he is wanting the Christians at Crete to remember that they are new creatures in Christ and should be walking in newness of life. The old things have passed away, Praise God. 

Paul reminds them and includes himself as he states "This is who we were before Christ saved us." He give a laundry list of 9 things that lost people do. They are foolish. They are disobedient and deceived. They are following lusts of the flesh and seeking pleasure. They are filled with malice and envy. They are filled with hate for each other and are hateful by nature.

The most beautiful words in this verse are "we ourselves also were." This means that life has changed dramatically for born again Christians. This ugly list of sinful behavior is who they were before they were saved! Christians have a much higher calling and more worthy things to pursue instead of lapsing into "old man" behavior. 

Titus 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.     

Titus 3:4-6     The Power of God on display regenerating souls!

Now comes an explosion of spiritual truth. This section has 2 unique phrases only used in this text. It also contains one more phrase that is only used twice in the New Testament.

The first special phrase is "the kindness and love of God." "Kindness" is a word that means moral goodness and integrity. 

Kindness is defined by Webster's 1828 Dictionary as "Good will; benevolence, a disposition which delights in contributing to the happiness of others, which is exercised cheerfully in gratifying their wishes, supplying their wants or alleviating their distresses."

This is best summarized by the following text. 

Romans 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Kindness describes the heart of Jehovah and His passion to save souls from destruction & hell. His heart is filled with goodness to save us. His heart delights in saving people. HIs heart cheerfully supplied the need of a Savior and He delights in helping us when we call upon Him. 

The word love is a word that is found in the English language as "philanthropy" and this means God acts with benevolence toward all mankind. He blesses all men with rain, sun, and times of harvest. He blesses the whole world with His gospel going out. 

God our Savior is full of kindness and love toward us because the Father's anger for mankind's sins was fully satisfied in the death, burial and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. 

This is what Paul previously wrote to the church at Ephesus about when he told us the enmity has been removed. God is not at war with sinners who come to Him through Jesus Christ. 

Ephesians 2:13-18 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 
And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 
For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Titus 3:4-6 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;   

Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;    

The kindness and love of God toward all mankind has appeared in the work and person of Jesus Christ. Notice, Paul makes it clear that we do not earn God's favor. We cannot do enough good works to merit God's grace. It is all because of mercy from God!

Mercy is the action of God in withholding His anger and the punishment for our sins that we justly deserve. Instead, He exchanges our sin for Christ's righteousness when we turn to Jesus Christ in repentant faith. 

The next unique phrase is "washing of regeneration" and this is only found in this text. 

Washing is a word that brings to mind the brass laver filled with water where the Old Testament priests were required to stop and wash their hands and feet before they entered into the Tabernacle or later, the Temple. 

We do not have time to develop this truth but in the future, I would like to spend time to study the Tabernacle with you. It is a most profound type or picture of Christ in the Old Testament. 

Exodus 30:17-21 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 

Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. 
For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: 
When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD: 
So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.

This was a permanent statute for the priests to observe. Failure to obey meant you would die. Both the tabernacle and the temple are structures that represent things that are in heaven. 

One thing is clear. Hands and feet must be washed as God commanded in order to enjoy close communion with Jehovah. That seems to be truth communicated by the washing aspect of regeneration. 

Paul used the same word in his letter to the church at Ephesus. The word washing means to bathe or wash the whole body from head to toe. It is a complete washing and in our text, Titus is told that this is the exclusive work of the Holy Ghost. Our hands and feet are washed and we are totally cleansed so that we might serve our All Glorious God. 

Ephesians 5:25-26 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,     

Another special phrase is the "renewing of the Holy Ghost."

This phrase is also only used once although the word translated "renewing" is used again by Paul in his letter to the church at Rome. This word means performing a complete renovation that makes something far better than it was before the renovation. It means to make something new and completely different than it was before.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul adds the word "transformed" and this Greek word is also found in the English language as the word "metamorphosis." This word describes how a butterfly begins life as a larvae, spins a cocoon and emerges moths later as a lovely winged insect, completely different from its previous form. 

I am sure you see with me, that  God made a big change when He regenerated our souls and He knows that we need ongoing transformation all the way until the day He calls us home!

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.     And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.     

"Regeneration" is creating new life in a soul that used to be dead toward God. The new birth is the exclusive work involving the ministry of the Spirit of God. It is a renovation of our heart that radically changes who we are and that grants us spiritual life. 

I do not know of any truth that has more impact upon our lives as this does. The washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost happens when we turn to Christ in repentant faith. 

It all stems from the work of Christ. Just a couple of chapters after He spoke to Nicodemus about being born again, Jesus spoke about the regenerating work the Spirit of God undertakes with the word of God.  The word "quicken" means to make alive that which was previously dead. 

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.  

Paul finished this thought by reminding Titus and us, that the Spirit of Christ was poured out on each believer abundantly. His work of renewing and regenerating the heart was done. His work of placing us into the body of Christ was complete. His work of bringing all spiritual blessings in heavenly places was accomplished. 

Some blessings poured out by the Spirit of God are designed to help us live life for Christ on this earth. Other blessings are often called "positional" in the sense that we possess them now as a child of God, but the fulness will not be realized until we are home with the Lord. 

The fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit are for advancing the kingdom of God and spreading the gospel into the world. All the ministry of the Spirit of God is poured out on us like a summer downpour that sends water gushing everywhere. 

Points to Ponder....

• We need to remember all that God has done, is doing and will do for us through Jesus Christ.

• Remembering these things is the key a fruitful, happy spiritual life.

• The kindness, love, mercy and grace of God brings the salvation we need to us.

• Have you experienced the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost?

• Have you been born again?

• Are you thankful for the copious pouring out of God's Spirit upon you? 

Oh, dear Readers, I hope that each one of you is having your heart filled with joy over what God has accomplished through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. I hope that you join me in expressing thanksgiving and praise and honor to the Lamb of God who did all of this for the joy that was set before Him.

Bob