Or, Embodied Doctrine in a World of Hate
Scripture: Titus 3:4-8
Date: September 8, 2024
Speaker: Sean Higgins
We pick up in a new sentence but in the middle of an argument. Titus 3:1-8 is a section of good reminders with an emphasis on good works.
God is making a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works (2:14). God’s people need to be reminded to be ready for every good work (3:1). And those who have believed in God should be careful to devote themselves to good works (3:8).
There are at least five motivations for good works.
There were seven good reminders about our public life in verses 1-2, and there were seven reminders about our pre-Christian life in verse 3. Verse 3 is a reason we should be peaceable, especially to those who might provoke us, because we also hated others.
That was once. It wasn’t one time, or one day, but how we were passing our days. Then God did something. God saved us. God saves sinners. God saves haters. Mercy trumps haters. And this is another motivation for now doing good works.
A couple things about the placement and perspective of this single sentence.
As for placement, it isn’t necessary as new information, it belongs with our behavior motivation. The truth of the gospel, the glories of the doctrine of God our Savior, are what created Christians on Crete and have been written about in the letter already. But the rehearsal of God’s goodness to us here remind us about why we can do good to haters without a worry.
As for perspective, this is from God’s view. Note that there is nothing about our faith (which doesn’t mean faith isn’t necessary, because there’s also no mention of the cross, and that is necessary). When we were haters God showed us kindness. There is a lesson, there is motivation.
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he 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, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4–7 ESV)
The main verb/idea is simple: he saved us . Everything else modifies that.
It wasn’t when we were ready, it was when He was ready; when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared . It was at the “right time” (Romans 5:6). That the attributes appeared must belong with the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Goodness /“kindness” (NASB) is in reference to “the quality of being helpful or beneficial” (BAGD). Loving kindness per the ESV, is the word philanthropia, which at root is a “love for people.” So we get our English word philanthropy, a love of promoting the health and happiness of others.
The sixfold repetition of Savior in this letter (1:3, 4; 2:10, 13; 3:4, 6) make me wonder why. The title certainly belongs with God’s merciful work in this section.
In two parts, what it is not and what it is. Our salvation is not because of works done by us in righteousness . It stands out in this context because of all the emphasis on works, on good ones. They are required. They are not the reason/basis God saved us, they are the reason/purpose God saved us. Besides, we weren’t holy anyway, we were haters.
The basis of our salvation is entirely within God Himself: but according to his own mercy . Here’s one example of why I think it’s not necessary to make a distinction between mercy and grace, because this mercy purposes to give not just to not give what we deserve. But we do not deserve it, and the why of salvation is that God decided to contribute all mercy. His mercy moves Him.
by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior
The how comes in regeneration —being born again, a new genesis (palingenesia, TDNT), and renewal —being made new (and the only other mention of this word in Romans 12:2). Both of those were and are accomplished by the Holy Spirit . The Spirit doesn’t only blow on us like the wind (John 3:9), His inner washing cleanses us, He dwells in us, and this is described as the Spirit being poured out on us *abundantly *through the Son.
so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life .
Justification is of course another great part of our salvation, and, of course, it’s by grace (alone). Note also that justification changes our status not just from guilty to not-guilty, not just from unrighteous to righteous, but from haters to heirs . Heirs are sons, family, not nobodies.
We can submit (as much as possible) to (ungodly) authorities because they can’t take away our inheritance. We can avoid quarreling and show mercy to the haters because they can’t touch our life, at least the one that lasts forever.
You heirs of eternal life, walk among the haters with this hope.
The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. (Titus 3:8 ESV)
What is the “faithful saying”? It’s the vehicle that delivered these things , so coming somewhere in verses 4-7. But it’s not obvious if all, or even any, of those phrases were part of a well known confession or hymn at Paul’s time. The trustworthy word is summed up: God shows mercy to haters.
Titus, and those establishing and building churches, must insist on these things, which are truths of sovereign grace as motivation for saved living in verses 1-2. The doctrine of God our savior is to be admired, but it must be adorned.
Believers have responsibility. Careful would be enough, devote would be enough. “Ready” in verse 1 would have been enough. Combined they keep saying that we have to pay attention and not quit. I insist on your intent. Care to be concerned. “Make it your business to do good” (Goodspeed).
Good works are manifold: Give a ride, take some soup, host some guests/show hospitality (see 1 Timothy 5:10). Don’t quarrel (over everything). Build something, small or big. Good works don’t have to be organized by the church or for a non-profit organization (though they could be that, too). There’s plenty to be done.
And that brings the last motivation, which is that “these things,” at least the seven reminders for public life in verses 1-2, are excellent /good in themselves, and profitable /accomplishing good.
These are all good reminders for embodied doctrine in a world of hate.
Our Triune God is rich in mercy. Each person of the Trinity is mentioned in Titus: the Father’s mercy by the Spirit through Jesus Christ. The Father resolves, the Son redeems, the Spirit regenerates and renews. When it comes to our salvation, as one commentator shows, God is the principal, meritorious, and efficient cause.
God’s mercy is the norm for our new, saved, eternal, and public life. God’s goodness—to us when undeserving—is the pattern and power for our goodness—to the undeserving. Haters gonna hate, mercy gonna do good.
Our good works will be foolishness to the world until God uses our good works as conduits of His mercy.
I insist that you—you who believe in God, who have received His mercy, who are renewed by the Holy Spirit, who are no longer haters but heirs in hope—be careful to commit yourselves to good works. Do not be overcome by the world of hate, but overcome hate by mercy and goodness.
[May] our God make you worthy of his calling and fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 ESV)