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BEREAN COMMUNITY CHURCH

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Titus 3:4-8

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Wednesday November 17, 2021

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Titus 3:1-11 (NASB95)

¹Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, 

²to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. 

³For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 

⁴But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 

⁵He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 

⁶whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 

⁷so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

⁸This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. 

⁹But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 

¹⁰Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, 

¹¹knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.

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Group Discussions

1. Share the inductive questions and observations that you made from 3:4-8.

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2. In what ways do you struggle with a “works-based righteousness”?

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3. What is one practical application you can make from your study of this passage?

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Titus 3:1-11[NASB]

What we have been saved from;

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How we have been saved, and our new identity

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What we have been saved for

3 Imperatives; 1 Infinitive

Important transition words

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Ramifications of Christ’s Incarnation

(1:1-3)

• God promised

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(2:11-15)

• God redeems, God purifies

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(3:4-8)

• God washes, God renews, God justifies

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Ordo Salutis

“The Order of Salvation”

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1. E
2. C
3. R
4. C
5. J

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• A
• S
• P
• D
• G

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Every Christian Reveres Christ Jesus;

All Saints Preach “Deo Gloria”

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Ordo Salutis

“The Order of Salvation”

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1. Election
2. Call
3. Regeneration
4. Conversion
5. Justification

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• Adoption
• Sanctification
• Perseverance
• Death
• Glorification

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Every Christian Reveres Christ Jesus;

All Saints Preach “Deo Gloria”

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Ordo Salutis

“The Order of Salvation”

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1. Election
2. Call
3. Regeneration
4. Conversion
5. Justification

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• Adoption
• Sanctification
• Perseverance
• Death
• Glorification

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Every Christian Reveres Christ Jesus;

All Saints Preach “Deo Gloria”

Titus 1:2-3; 2:11-14; 3:3-7

To live sensibly, righteously and devoutly in the present age (2:12); Good deeds / godliness (1:1; 2:14; 3:8)

“in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie promised long ages ago” (1:2; 2:13; 3:7)

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Titus 3:4-7

[4-7]

• One Greek Sentence
• Seven Facets of Salvation
• Every Facet of Salvation Initiated and Empowered by God Alone (all active verbs attributed to God; all passive verbs attributed to man)
• Theological and Eschatological; not Chronological
• Why We Can Expect Christians to Have a Social Conscience and to Behave Responsibly in Public Life

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Titus 3:4

Epiphaino

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1 Kindness of God (chrestotes)

• Chrestotes / word used only by Paul.
• Romans 2:4 🡪 it’s His kindness that leads to repentance; no conversion without repentance.

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2 Love for Mankind (philanthropia)

• Occurs twice in the NT, but only here in reference to God’s character (2:11)
• Defn: tender affection, eagerness to deliver someone from pain, trouble or danger.

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[Theological Questions]: Reprobation: The sovereign decision of God before creation to pass over some persons, in sorrow deciding not to save them, and to punish them for their sins, and thereby to manifest His justice. (Grudem)

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Titus 3:5

He Saved Us

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He saved us… Why does the NIV have it twice?

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Titus 3:5

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Titus 3:5

He Saved Us

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He saved us… Why does the NIV have it twice?

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Four Straight Genitive (possessive/attributive) Nouns!

• Washing
• Regeneration
• Renewing
• Holy Spirit

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Titus 3:5

He Saved Us

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He saved us… Why does the NIV have it twice?

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Righteous deeds… Generally, all other world religions are merit based.

• 2:12 / to live righteously
• In Paul’s letters “righteousness” usually evokes OT legal covenant setting
• Law – points to fact that sinful man cannot save himself (Galatians 3:10-27).

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3 According to His own mercy (eleos):

- Grace: Guilt

- Mercy: Affliction�

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Titus 3:5

He Saved Us

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4 Washing of Regeneration a.k.a “being born again”

• Regeneration: a secret act of God in which He imparts new spiritual life (Grudem)
• John 3:3-8 / Ephesians 5:26
• Internal? External? Acts 22:16 / Two events or one??

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5 Renewal of the Holy Spirit (anakainosis): “rebirth”

Galatians 3:14 (NASB95)

¹⁴in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.’

• Romans 8:1-2; 12:2

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Titus 3:6

Spirit Poured Out

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6 Whom He poured out… / Acts 2 🡪 Pentecost & eschatological fulfillment

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Joel 2:28 (NASB95)

²⁸“It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions.

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Ezekiel 39:29 (NASB95)

²⁹“I will not hide My face from them any longer, for I will have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,” declares the Lord God.

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Zechariah 12:10 (NASB95)

¹⁰“I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication…

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Now we have all that we need for life and for godliness (Eph. 3:20; 2 Cor. 3:1-6; 2 Peter 1:3)

He is a seal, guaranteeing our inheritance (1:13-14)

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Titus 3:7

Justified by His Grace

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7 Justified by grace… (dikaiothentes) 🡪 same root as “righteousness” (dikaiosunei) in 3:5

• Legal declaration (Romans 3:23-24)
• Aorist Tense: completed action (having been justified – one time act)

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Justification: an instantaneous legal act of God in which He thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us, and declares us to be righteous in His sight. (Grudem)

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Grace: Unmerited favor 🡪 not one single human being can boast that he earned even a fraction of his/her salvation.

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Titus 3:7

Heirs

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Titus 1:2; 2:13 (NASB95)

²in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago,

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¹³looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,

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Romans 8:15–17 (NASB95)

¹⁵For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 

¹⁶The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 

¹⁷and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

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Titus 3:7

Heirs

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1 Corinthians 2:9 (NASB95)

⁹but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”

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What is the relationship, then, between our salvation and our good deeds?

• 1:16
• 2:7
• 2:14
• 3:1
• 3:8
• 3:14

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Ephesians 2:8-10[NASB95]

⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 

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⁹not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 

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Ephesians 2:8-10[NASB95]

⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 

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⁹not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 

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¹⁰For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

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Application

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1. Describe how you repented in response to the kindness of God, how you came to be justified, and how you’ve since been living as an adopted heir of God.

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For (Wednesday 12/1)

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1. Read Titus 3:9-11.

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• Ask inductive questions of these verses and come up with observations.

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• How do these verses fit into the context of the rest of the section, chapter, and letter?

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• What are some practical and measurable applications you can draw from these verses?

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