Washed and Renewed

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Titus 3:4-6
Psalters: 85, 288, 311, 358
Sacrament of Baptism
  1. What God did.
    1. God “saved us.”
    2. God saved us “through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.”
      1. This is an “again birth” which takes place in elect individuals (cf. John 3:3,5-8).
      2. It is that work of God by which the principle of new life is implanted.
    3. “Renewing” can be distinguished, but never separated” from regeneration.
      1. “Renewing” (cf. Rom. 12:2) is a work of the Holy Spirit, which includes an awaking of the regenerated man.
      2. Sanctification is that gracious and continuous operation of the Holy Spirit by which He delivers the justified sinner from the pollution of sin, renews his whole nature in the image of God, and enables him to perform good works.
    4. Regeneration and renewing are a “washing.”
  2. How.
    1. God’s saving us according to His “kindness and love toward man.”
      1. The expression “the kindness and the love toward man” is one concept.
      2. Upon the darkness of our past “appears” the light of the Father’s kindness and pity.
      3. Paul presents this as an argument, but more as the outpouring of a heart that is glowing with love for God’s love.
    2. God saved us “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy.”
      1. Paul emphasizes that salvation is a completely sovereign work.
      2. We must ever live in the consciousness that if anyone is saved it cannot be because of our works.
      3. It is always and only according to God’s great mercy: His deep-seated and urgent desire to bless the pitiful.
    3. “Which He shed on us abundantly (richly) through Jesus Christ our Savior” (6).
      1. Note the presence of all three Persons of the Trinity.
      2. “Richly” indicates the rich supply of spiritual gifts which results from this outpouring.
  3. The purpose and result is that having been justified by His grace we might becomes hiers in hope of life everlasting.
    1. We who were dead in sin are made alive and look forward to everlasting life and glory.
    2. Our justification was by grace (undeserved cause) whereby we were declared righteous.
    3. The purpose and result of this saving work is that we might be already heirs of everlasting life.