Reminding the Saints

3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:3-7)

Once a great leader of China was known to have kept a beautiful, ornate chest in his possessions at all times. One day a lowly servant’s curiosity got the best of him. Thinking there must be the greatest of treasures in the rich ruler’s chest, he stealthily stole a glance at the contents. What he found was the rags of a peasant. Just then his master walked in on him. The servant asked, “why do you keep these ragged clothes in this expensive chest.” The ruler replied, “I keep them to remind me of my past.”

In Titus chapter three and verse six Paul instructed to “speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.” Now he is to remind the saints of their duties to their fellow citizens of Crete in verses one and two: “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.” A great deal of preaching and teaching involves reminding the saints of things they have forgotten or failed to fulfill. Paul next instructs Titus to call to the saints’ remembrance their previous lost condition and the source of their salvation.

…of the Previous Lost Condition

So that none of the saved citizens of Crete could exalt themselves over their fellow man, Titus was to remind them of their past condition. It would be a humble reminder from whence they came. The word “we” shows that Paul was including himself among this group. He told Timothy, “although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Tim 1:13).

Titus was to remind them of six horrible conditions which describe their former life before they were saved.

1. They were “foolish.” When living in sin they gave no thought to their soul’s condition but merely engaged in a senseless existence of caring for the needs of the flesh. Paul warned the Ephesians, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:16-17).
2. In their former life they were “disobedient.” They disobeyed the authority of God, their rulers, parents, etc.
3. Before knowing Christ and obeying the Gospel they were “deceived.” A dumb sheep that were being led astray. They were deceived by the wicked (Rom. 3:13); by the Devil (Jn. 8:44); by false teachers (Mt. 24:4,5); even by themselves (Gal 6:3); and by their own lusts (Eph. 4:22).
4. Their former life can be characterized as “serving various lusts and pleasures.” Instead of being a servant of Christ they were servants of sinful desires and seeking satisfaction through sin. Pleasure is from the same Greek term from which we get the English “hedonism.” As worldly men and women they desired more and more money, fame, sexual pleasure, gluttony and power.
5. Before baptism they were “living in malice and envy.” Malice is an evil state of mind that is willing to do harm to others. According to Calvin, on Ephesians 4:32, it is ‘a viciousness of mind opposed to humanity and fairness, and commonly styled malignity’ (Vincent). Envy is a desire to see other lose what is theirs and wishes them harm.
6. Before they became Christians they were “hateful and hating one another.” “Hateful” means one who is worthy of being hated. The hated become those who are haters of everything and everyone.

…of the Source of their Salvation

The final set of reminders involve the source of their salvation. To save them from their former condition help had to be sent from God.

1. Salvation is a result of God’s kindness. His goodness and generosity were demonstrated when He sent His Son (Jn. 3:16).
2. Salvation comes from God’s love. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). In this verse the Greek word for love is not agape by philanthropia meaning affection for mankind.
3. Salvation is through God’s mercy, not man’s works. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph 2:8,9). God saw our great need and was able to meet that need through the blood of His Son.
4. Salvation is through the “washing of regeneration.” The term “regeneration” means to be born again. This comes through baptism. Jesus told Nicodemus, “most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…. unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:3,5).
5. Salvation comes by way of the “renewing of the Holy Spirit.” The term “renewing” is synonymous with the term “regeneration.” It means to make new again. Whereas the new birth results from water baptism, the newness of life comes from the Holy Spirit revealed Word of God. This same Holy Spirit is said to be “poured out” by Jesus Christ. This same term is used in Acts 2:33 on the day of Pentecost. Perhaps this is explained in Acts 2:38 when “Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Since the word “us” includes all the saints it would eliminate the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” since it was only promised to the apostles and the gifts of the spirit since these are not essentially connected with salvation (Acts 8:12ff).
6. Salvation is justification through grace. Justification comes through faith. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). It is the unmerited favor of God who considers us just because of our obedient faith.
7. Salvation involves hope of eternal life. Hope is not just wishful thinking. Christians have hope of eternal life because of the promises of a God who cannot lie; a personal desire to live forever with God; and an expectation to receive our reward. The saved have a realistic expectation of Heaven because they are heirs. “In the human setting, heirs don’t inherit until the owner of the estate dies…But in the spiritual realm the opposite occurs; We do not fully inherit until we have died.” (Barton 289).

– Daniel R. Vess