Saved and Reborn by Grace
Titus 3:4-7 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
The reason for the characteristic change in our behavior and attitude from verse 3 is due to the effect of regeneration brought upon by the impartation of the Holy Spirit. Thus John writes, "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God." 1John 3:9,10
This is the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, just previously noted concerning 1Cor 6:11 "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
Ezekiel prophesied, "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." Eze 36:35-37
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." 2Cor 5:17
God having graciously justified us, we become heirs to a new life by that same grace. A life of Christ-likeness. This gracious impartation of the Holy Spirit and the regeneration he brings was prior to and not related to any righteous act we had performed, such as good works, water baptism, repentance from sin, all of which are intended to be outworkings of our faith - the faith that saved us. Thus "it is by grace you have been saved" (Eph 2:5b) and works follows.
Titus 3:4-7 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
The reason for the characteristic change in our behavior and attitude from verse 3 is due to the effect of regeneration brought upon by the impartation of the Holy Spirit. Thus John writes, "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God." 1John 3:9,10
This is the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, just previously noted concerning 1Cor 6:11 "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
Ezekiel prophesied, "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." Eze 36:35-37
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." 2Cor 5:17
God having graciously justified us, we become heirs to a new life by that same grace. A life of Christ-likeness. This gracious impartation of the Holy Spirit and the regeneration he brings was prior to and not related to any righteous act we had performed, such as good works, water baptism, repentance from sin, all of which are intended to be outworkings of our faith - the faith that saved us. Thus "it is by grace you have been saved" (Eph 2:5b) and works follows.
