Daily Bible Nugget #60, Titus 3:5

The Nugget:

Titus 3:5 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;

My Comment:

The basic ideas in this verse are probably quite clear to every reader. The finer details of the last portion of the verse are very instructive and less known to general readers of the Bible. As one of my memory verse texts for the plan of salvation, I concentrated on the first portion of the verse. Paul affirms that we are not saved by our works. God saved us according to His mercy. None of us could ever be good enough to merit salvation. By washing of regeneration Paul is speaking of the regenerative or transforming change brought about in our life when we believe on Christ. That regeneration is wrought in us by the “renewing of the Holy Ghost.” A truly saved person has a transformed character that through the work of the Holy Spirit produces the fruit of the Spirit described by Paul in Galatians 5:22-23.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1420 for Titus 3:5.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1440 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Titus 3:5.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

5. Not by works. Jb *9:20. 15:14. *25:4. Ps 143:2. Is *57:12. Ezk 36:32. Mt 5:16. Lk 10:27-29. Ro *3:20, +27, 28. **4:5, 6. 9:11, 16, 30. 11:6. Ga *2:16. 3:16-21. Ep **2:4, 8, 9. Ph %1:6. 2:13n. 3:9. 2 T +*1:9. of righteousness. Gr. dikaiosunē (S#1343g, Ph 1:11). Dt 9:5. Lk %1:6. Ro +*3:10, 11. have done. or, did. according. ver. 4. Ex +34:6. 1 S 12:22. Ps 62:12. *86:5, 15. 109:26. 130:7. Mi **7:18. Lk 1:50, 54, 72, 78. Ep 1:3, 6, 7. *+2:4. He *4:16. 1 P *1:3. 2:10. his mercy. Gr. eleos [(S#1656g), compassion (human or divine, especially active) [Strong]: Mt +9:13. 12:7. 23:23. Lk 1:50, 54, 58, 72, 78. 10:37. Ro 9:23. 11:31. 15:9. Ga 6:16. Ep 2:4. 1 T 1:2. 2 T 1:2, 16, 18. T 1:4. 3:5. He 4:16. Ja 2:13. 3:17. 1 P 1:3. 2 J 3. Ju 2, 21]. Ge 19:16. Nu 14:19. Ps 116:5. Is 54:10. Jon +4:2. Jn 6:37, 44n, 65. 15:19. Ro 9:16, 23. 11:30. +*12:1. Ep +2:4. 1 P 1:3. he saved us. or, delivered us. He delivered translates esōsen, an aorist active indicative form of sōzō, meaning to save, deliver, rescue, to heal (Mt 1:21 from sins; Mt 14:30, 31 from the billows; Lk 8:36 from demons; Lk 18:41-43 from blindness). Sōzō is a radical deliverance from something. Here it is deliverance by a washing, by means of rebirth and renewal, all described as the work of the Holy Spirit. He delivers us refers to full salvation. Note that salvation is viewed in Scripture as initial (Ac 16:31), completely-entirely (1 Th 5:23), progressive (Jn 3:16), and ultimate (1 C 15:53, 54) [Lavender NT, fn m]. Ps 119:146. Is 33:22. Ezk **+33:16n. 37:24. Ho 1:7. 13:9. Ac *2:47. 15:11. 18:27. 20:24. Ro 8:30. Ph *2:13n. 1 Th 1:4. 2 T 1:9. washing. or, laver (RVmg). Gr. loutron (S#3067g, only here and Ep 5:26). Washing by means of rebirth: This phrase describes by what means he delivers us. Washing is a picture of the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit, and has nothing to do with ritual, ceremony, or baptism by water (Ro 6:3n). This washing is real, transformational, and life-giving. It is the work of the Holy Spirit described as regenerative, not simply birth but a re-birth (Jn 3:3-6), or restoration to the former state—the image of God (Ge 1:26, 27; *5:3; Ep 4:24; Col 3:9, 10), further described as predestinated to similarities of the image of His Son (Ro 8:29) [Lavender NT, fn n). Ex 29:4. *30:18, 19. 38:8. 40:7. Le 11:32. Nu 31:23. 2 K 5:13. 2 Ch 4:2. Ps 26:6. *73:1. Pr 21:8. 30:12. Is *52:15. Zc 13:1. Mt 3:6. Jn **3:3-5. 13:5, 8. 19:34. Ac 2:38n. 8:36n. 26:18. 1 C *+6:11. Ep *5:26n. Col 2:12n. He **10:22n. 1 P +3:21. 1 J 5:6. of. Genitive of Apposition. The “of” is equivalent to “that is to say,” or, “consisting of.” Jn 2:21, the temple of his body. Ro 4:11, the sign of circumcision. 2 C 5:1, The house of our tabernacle.” 2 C 3:17, 18, “The spirit of the Lord.” 1 P 1:1, “Sojourners of the Dispersion” or, sojourners, that is to say, the Dispersion (see CB, Appendix 17.4, page 23). regeneration. Gr. palingenesia (S#3824g, only here and Mt 19:28), (spiritual) rebirth (the state or act), that is, (figuratively) spiritual renovation; specifically Messianic restoration (Strong). Mt +*19:28g. Jn 1:13. 3:3, 5-8. 2 C +*5:17. Ga 6:15. Ep 2:5. 4:24. Col 2:13. 1 P +*1:23. 1 J 2:29. 3:9. 4:7. 5:1, 4, 18. and. FS93A, Ge 1:26. By the Figure Hendiadys. Two things mentioned (washing, renewing) but only one thing meant. The reference is to the spiritual cleansing by the Holy Spirit in real baptism (Ac 1:5n) as opposed to ritual water baptism which has no such efficacy, the regeneration and renewing which the Holy Spirit accomplishes in creating in us the new nature in Christ. renewing. Gr. anakainōsis (S#342g, only here and Ro 12:2, the verb in Col 3:10), renovation (Strong). Renewal by the Holy Spirit: The work of the Holy Spirit is emphatically emphasized. Renewal translates anakainōseōs, essentially stating the washing by means of rebirth idea in another way. Further, anakainōseōs is another mighty declaration: compounded of ana = back, again + kainōsis = renewal: renew, complete change, i.e., it is a present transformation in which the renewed believer passes over into that former state of holiness before the Fall! What a mighty work of the Holy Spirit. Kainōsis means renew all by itself, the preposition ana added, making anakainōseōs emphatically state the transformation or the passage to the former state of holiness. Adding the preposition ana helps the noun kainōsis affirm more vividly and emphatically the newness or renewal to the former state (Lavender NT, fn o). Ps +*51:10. 104:30. Is 43:7. Jn 1:13. Ac 2:17. Ro *+12:2. 2 C *3:18. 4:16. Ep 4:22, 23. Col *3:10. He 6:6. of. or, by. Ghost. Gr. pneuma, Mt +1:18. Ps 104:30. Is 32:15. Ezk *37:14. Mk *1:8. Jn 1:33. +*14:26. Ac +*1:5n. 11:16. +*22:16. 1 C **+12:13. 1 Th 1:5.

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One Response to Daily Bible Nugget #60, Titus 3:5

  1. ken sagely says:

    eph 1.3 blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ, who hath blessed us with
    all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. !!!!

    titus 3.4-5
    but after the kindness and love of god, our saviour, toward man appeared,
    tit 2.11 for the grace of god that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
    rom 5.20-21 moreover, the law entered, that the offense might abound. but
    where sin abounded, grace did much more abound; vs 21 that as sin reigned
    through righteousness unto eternal life by jesus christ, our lord.
    eph 2.4-7 but god, who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved
    us, vs 5 even when were dead in sins, hath made us alive together with christ
    [by grace ye are saved}, vs 6 and hath raised us up together, and made us sit
    together in heavenly places in christ jesus; vs 7 that in the ages to come he
    might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us thro-
    ugh christ jesus.
    2 tim 1.10 but is now made manifest by the appearing of our savior, jesus christ,
    who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immorality to light through
    the gospel.
    heb 9.26 for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world.
    but now once, in the end of the ages, hath he appeared to put away sin by the sac-
    rifice of himself.

    tit 3.5 not by works of righteousness which we have done’
    rom 3.20 therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his
    sight; for by the works of the law is the knowledge of sin.
    rom 3.28 therefore, we conclude that man is justified by faith apart from the deeds
    of the law
    rom 4.5 but to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the
    ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
    eph 2.8-9 for by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it
    is the gift of god, vs 9 not of works, lest any man should boast.

    but according to his mercy he saved us,
    ps 86.5 for thou, lord, art good, and ready to forgive, and plentous in mercy unto all those who call upon him.
    mic 7.18 who is a god like unto thee, who pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the trans gession of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger forever, because he delighteth in mercy.
    heb 4.16 let us,therfore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

    by the washing, and renewing of by the holy spirit.
    jn 3.3 jesus answered, and said unto him, verily, verily, i say unto thee, except
    a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of god.
    i cor 6.11 and such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified,
    but ye are justified in the name of the lord jesus, and by the spirit of our god.
    eph 5.26 that he might sanctify and cleanse it with washing of water by the word;

    and renewing by the holy spirit
    psm 51.10 create in me a clean heart, o god, and renew a right spirit within me.
    rom 12.2 and be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renew
    ing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect,
    will of god.
    eph 4.23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
    col 3.10 and have put on the new man, that is renewed in knowledge after the image
    of him that created him;

    the lord saved us from the guilt and penalty of all our sins-past,present,future. they
    were all future when the saviour died, and his death covered them all. but one of
    the simplest, clearest truths of the gospel is the most difficult for man to receive. it
    is that salvation is not based on good works ; one doesnt become a christian by living
    a christian life.” it is not good people who go to heaven; it is sinners who have been
    saved by gods grace!!!”

    psm 48.1″ great is the lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our god, in the
    mountain of his holiness.”

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