August 15
“When the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 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, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works,” Titus 3:4-8.
The apostle Paul wanted Titus to assure his hearers constantly of the spiritual blessings they received by the mercy of God. Our salvation rests securely upon the kindness, the love, the mercy, and the grace of God. God revealed His love toward sinners when He promised to send a Savior – Jesus Christ, God and Man in one Person.
To the Romans, Paul wrote, “In due time Christ died for the ungodly . . . God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” Romans 5:6, 8. God did what we could never do for ourselves: “According to His mercy He saved us.” God declared us righteous, forgiven, and justified, not on the basis of works of righteousness which we have done, but on the basis of what Jesus did for us and all people. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation,” 2 Corinthians 5:19.
To enter into the family of God, we must be born again. This rebirth is brought about by the Holy Spirit through the Word of the Gospel and the washing of regeneration, which is Holy Baptism.
Ananias said to Saul, whose name was changed to Paul, “Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins,” Acts 22:16. On the day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter said to the multitude before him, “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. For the promise is to you and to your children,” Acts 2:38-39. Scripture reports that about three thousand souls were added to the Church on that day.
Through the washing of Holy Baptism we are born again and renewed. We are assured that our sins have been washed away with the blood of Jesus shed on Calvary’s cross.
We have been justified by God’s grace, not by any of our own works. Scripture speaks very clearly: “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,” Ephesians 2:8-9. For Jesus’ sake we have been declared forgiven, and by faith in that declaration we have made the forgiveness of sins our very own and we have become heirs of eternal life in heaven.
When we believe in Jesus as our Savior, then out of love for Him who first loved us, we live a Christian life. Of this, Paul also told Titus to remind his hearers: “Those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works.” By your life, testify that you are a Christian. Don’t be ashamed of Jesus!
“By grace! This ground of faith is certain;
So long as God is true, it stands.
What saints have penned by inspiration,
What in His Word our God commands,
What our whole faith must rest upon,
Is grace alone, grace in His Son.” Amen.