Not By Us But By Him Titus 3:5 - Equipped for Battle

Paul the apostle has been teaching Titus the manner in which members of the church in Crete should be treating one another. He also instructed Titus on the importance of conducting themselves in a Godly manner before people in the world who have not followed Jesus Christ as their Savior as yet, and Titus was to remember that he too was once as those unbelievers are. Paul expands that idea in chapter three and verse five where he wrote:

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;

It may be the tendency of some to believe that their works will get them into Heaven. According to Paul the apostle this is not so. Paul declares, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done.” Before anyone begins to boast about their accomplishments in right doings, Paul insures that Titus understands that the righteousness that has been done was not by he nor Titus. The work to bring Paul, Titus and us to Salvation was not because they nor we have earned it.

Paul adds, “but according to his mercy he saved us.” It was God who saved Paul and Titus, and it was according to His mercy and not because of their works. Paul wrote in the book of Ephesians chapter four and verses four through seven:

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Paul desires that Titus know that it was the work of God, and God's mercy was the reason they were saved.

Paul continues, “by the washing of regeneration” which means they were washed or bathed in new birth, reproduction, and renewal. Their lives were radically changed with a mind for the better, and now they were aligned with their Creator the way God originally designed it to be. The idea is that they were restored to the state in which God desired when they went astray from Him.

Paul not only desires that Titus understand that it was not by their works, by God's mercy, and through God's new birth process, and by the “renewing of the Holy Ghost;” God's Holy Spirit did the work in Paul the apostle and in Titus. There was a renewing of their minds, thoughts, ways and desires. They were radically changed because the Holy Spirit did His work. Jesus said of the Holy Spirit in the book of John in chapter sixteen and verse eight:

And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

By God's Spirit, both Paul and Titus were drawn into a relationship with Jesus Christ. It was God who drew them, God who had mercy upon them, and God who saved them Their only part was to believe and receive the wonderful gift of His Son Jesus. There was nothing neither Paul nor Titus could do to save themselves. No, rather, it was the gift of God Almighty whose desire was to be in a relationship not only with them, but also with everyone in the world who will receive Him.

Next time we will continue to look at Paul's words to Titus and see even more clearly to whom the credit for salvation of our souls is due, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow...there is more...

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