Apr 15 - 31 - Titus 3:5

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

Titus 3:5

Bible Rank: 31

 

Again we see the formula of salvation. We are "saved" by God's grace and "mercy" ... and not be works (the "righteous things we had done" or have left undone). (See Romans 3:22ff for comparison and further expression of this formula of salvation.)

Since we've seen that before -- even already in our top 30 verses -- let's focus on the two new words: "rebirth" and "renewal."

 

Rebirth -- indeed, being born again -- reminds us that something about our first birth was inadequate. And it was. It is. We are all sinful. It is our nature. From the sin of Adam onward, all humanity sins and falls short of God's glorious standard. That's our first birth. That's our identity. That's the world-wide-web of original sin that we're all born into and stuck in -- like a fly in a spider's inescapable trap. 

 

Rebirth is heaven's solution. When Jesus tells Nicodemus about being "born again" -- see John 3 -- some translations render it being "born from above." Notice, Jesus doesn't say that we must be "born from within" -- because what's within is precisely the problem. Rather God must lift us up from above. He must cleanse us -- hence the image of the "washing of rebirth." He alone must "renew" us -- hence the role of the Holy Spirit. 

 

The Spirit, indeed, calls us, challenges us, breaks us open, comforts us, restores us, heals us, mends us, and creates us anew. Then the Spirit calls and challenges us again ... but this time as He is filling us with deeper faith, stronger convictions, gifts to bless the kingdom, and comforts (fruits) like love, joy, and peace. 

 

On our own, we're week and vulnerable. We're flies afraid of spiders. We're helpless sinners, vulnerable to the judgment of God. But God in his mercy -- and apart from our works -- lifts us, renews us, restores us, revives us. 

And our proper response is to first place our lives in His hands, allowing ourselves to be malleable to the Potter's restoration. And then living in thanksgiving and obedience for all he's done for us. 

In Christ's Love,

a fly