by Jerry Senn
“3For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:3-7, ESV).
All of us have sinned and are worthy of God’s wrath (Romans 6:23), however Christ “appeared” at a sinless sacrifice for our sin and saved us by a process of “regeneration” and “renewal of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit was “poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ”… providing in our “washing” in the waters of baptism, hope of eternal life. (See Eph 5).
According to Henry Alford, (a renowned Greek scholar of the 19th century), the word “washing” should have been translated “laver” which pictures the OT priestly washing in water before entering God’s presence.
Therefore, the above passage in Titus pictures perfectly the events which took place in Acts 2 regarding Christ’s offer of salvation to those who had, only a few days before, killed His Son.
God’s Holy Spirit is “poured out on us” as we submit in humble obedience to Peter’s instruction in Acts 2:28. We’re cleansed by His blood!!!
There’s a tremendous need for our generation to interpret the letters of Paul in light of the saving events of the great day of Pentecost (Acts 2), the first presentation of the Good News of God’s grace!
“Buried with Christ, my blessed Redeemer,
Dead to the old life of folly and sin;
Satan may call, the world may entreat me.
There is a voice that answers within.
Dead to the world to voices that call me,
Living anew, obedient but free;
Dead the joys that once did enthrall me—
Yet ‘til not I, Christ liveth in me.”
(T O Chisholm, 1935)
Amen!