(Chapter 3)
In this last chapter, Paul moves along to address the Christian’s testimony before the world. We learn from his remarks here that sound doctrine and godly living are not things that are just for our lives in the assembly, but they are to be seen in us as we walk through this world. God intends that our lives should exhibit His power to transform sinners into saints. The people of this world are to see what the kindness and love of God can do for them. Sadly, this moral change which goes along with the salvation of our souls was lacking in the saints in Crete, and this greatly impaired their public testimony before the world. (Compare Romans 2:24.) Paul addresses this issue in chapter 3, focusing on two spheres in particular—the believer’s responsibility toward the civil authorities and the believer’s responsibility in his social interactions with people of this world.
The Christian’s Responsibility Towards the Civil Authorities
(Vs. 1)
Paul says, “Put them in mind to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient to rule, to be ready to do every good work.” We judge from this exhortation, and from the description of their character in chapter 1:12, that the Cretian saints were not careful about this and were disrespectful and insubordinate to the Roman authorities over them. Titus was to address this issue and correct it immediately. The Christian’s duty toward the government (“the powers that be” – Rom. 13:1) under which he lives is: to pray, pay, and obey. We are to pray for the rulers in office (1 Tim. 2:1-2), to pay our taxes (Rom. 13:6-7), and to obey every ordinance in civil law (1 Peter 2:13). This is to be done so that our gospel testimony wouldn’t be marred by bad conduct. Those who look at us are not to see rebels of the state, but law-abiding people who have what the world needs.
In addressing this subject, Paul does not tell Titus to have the Cretian saints engage in the world’s politics, or to involve themselves in causes of social reform, because as Christians, we have not been called to make this world a better place. The Christian understands that the world is incorrigibly corrupt, and it is getting worse every day, and thus, it is under the sentence of God’s judgment which will be executed shortly at Christ’s second advent. Therefore, to expend our energy in trying to improve conditions here would be akin to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic as it goes down! Christians who get involved in trying to set the world right only get defiled and frustrated, and inevitably fail in their objective. Lot is set forth in Scripture to teach us that the believer cannot set the world right by involving oneself in its political affairs (Gen. 19). Attempting to reform the world reflects a basic misunderstanding of the Christian’s calling and the incorrigible character of the fallen nature in man. The Christian’s duty toward the powers that be is “to be ready to every good work,” which is to be compliant with the governments under which he lives.
There are, of course, limits to our obedience to the governmental authorities over us. If they were to command us to do something morally and ethically wrong, we are “to obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29). However, the purpose of civil authorities generally is to restrain evil and to encourage good (Rom. 13:2-4).
The Christian’s Responsibility Towards the People of the World
(Vss. 2-3)
Paul then speaks of the Christian’s conduct toward unbelieving friends, neighbours, and acquaintances in the world. He says: “To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers [contentious], but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.” This shows that it is important to maintain a gracious spirit toward the lost people of this world so that they might see in us Christianity in action, and through our godly behaviour we might gain opportunities to give them the gospel. Being contentious with our fellow men is hardly the way to win them for Christ. Manifesting a right spirit toward unbelievers should not be difficult when we remember that we were once just like them before we were saved. Hence, Paul adds, “For we ourselves also were sometimes [once] foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.” Every Christian should be able to say sincerely: “But for the grace of God, there go I!” A sense of this divine grace having been shown to us should give us patience toward all men, and a genuine love and pity for them.
A Summary of What Christianity Does for Those Who Believe the Gospel
(Vss. 4-9)
Paul goes on to give another beautiful summary of what Christianity does for the person who believes the gospel. He says: “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed [poured out] on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” As mentioned, the world should see in the Christian what the gospel can do for a person. In short, when believed, it not only delivers a person from the judgment of his sins, but it also transforms his life from bad to good and makes him a truly happy person through being brought into a living relationship with God.
Paul begins this summary with the intervention of God’s “kindness and love” appearing “toward man.” This refers to the coming of Christ to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Heb. 9:26). Without this there could be no blessing for anyone, for the sin question had to be settled first. Paul does not go into that here, nor does he speak of the believer’s faith and obedience to the gospel which are necessary for salvation. The reason is that he is focusing on the positive benefits of salvation which God gives to those who believe.
In emphasizing this side of things, Paul makes it clear that the salvation which God has secured for man is not earned by any merits of the believer. He says: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.” Thus, the “mercy,” “love,” and “grace” of God that has acted to save us is not something that we work for; “it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:4-5, 8). The believer, therefore, can take no credit for his salvation; it is “not of works lest any man should boast” (Rom. 4:4-5; Eph. 2:9).
Paul then adds, “By the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit” (W. Kelly’s translation). This refers to a new moral state in the believer formed by the Spirit. It will manifest itself in an outward change in his life, and this will be something that people will see. W. Scott confirmed this, stating: "The washing of regeneration can be discerned by the eye of man, as it is an outward change" (Doctrinal Summaries, p. 28).
This outward “washing” of one’s life is illustrated in baptism. The new convert leaves his belongings (his cigarettes, flask of liquor, worldly magazines, etc.) at the water's edge, and wades into the water. After being baptized, he goes on his way with the Christians who attended the baptism. But someone calls to him and says, "Hey John, you forgot your things." He replies, "Leave them there; they belong to the old John." Thus, the practical effect of the washing of regeneration is that there will be a moral separation (and thus a cleansing) from the old lifestyle in which the person once lived. People of the world will observe it and say, "He has cleaned up his life; he’s on the straight and narrow now!" The “renewing” of the Holy Spirit, which God has “shed [poured out] on us abundantly,” is mentioned here because it is the Spirit who energizes the new life and enables us to live a godly life according to the will of God. The Spirit’s renewing is an on-going work in the believer, whereas the Spirit’s being shed on us is the once-for-all reception of the Spirit upon our believing the gospel (Rom. 5:5). F. B. Hole said, “He has been ‘poured out’ on us abundantly. Thus bestowed, He energizes the new life that we now have and works a day-by-day renewing within us, which works out a continuous and increasing salvation from the old life which we once lived” (Epistles, vol. 2, p. 190).
Paul mentions “the washing of regeneration” in connection with being “saved.” This is because moral change is to be an integral part of a person’s salvation; the two things go together. God does not intend that we should believe the gospel, and thereby be delivered from the eternal judgment of our sins, and then go on our way practicing the very sins that Christ died to deliver us from! All such conduct is hypocrisy and raises a question as to whether such a person has been truly saved. Paul emphasizes this side of things to Titus because he needed to insist on it in his ministry in Crete, for it was greatly lacking among the saints there.
The only other place in Scripture where the word “regeneration” occurs is Matthew 19:28. In that passage, it refers to the new outward moral order of things which will be established on earth when Christ reigns in His millennial kingdom. In that coming day, all men will live according to God’s holy standards (Psa. 101:7-8; Zech. 5:1-4). While that day is yet to come, Christians in this present day are to manifest the washing of regeneration in their lives.
Notwithstanding, Christians from all schools of theological teaching have misunderstood regeneration. They think that since the word "regenerate" means to re-start, it is referring to being born again, and thus, they use the terms interchangeably. However, J. N. Darby said, “Regeneration is not the same word as ‘being born again,’ nor is it used so in Scripture” (His translation footnote on Titus 3:5). F. B. Hole said, “We must note that the word “regeneration” in our verse is not exactly the equivalent of new birth” (Epistles, vol. 2, p. 190). W. Scott said, “New birth is not the same as regeneration, which the latter term only occurs twice in the New Testament (Titus 3:5; Matt. 19:28). The former term refers to an inward work; the latter to an outward change” (The Young Christian, vol. 2, p. 131). Mr. Scott also said, “It [regeneration] is almost universally regarded as equivalent to new birth, but it is not so in Scripture. Regeneration is an objective state or condition, while the new birth is the expression of an inward and subjective state” (Bible Handbook, Old Testament, p. 372).
New birth and regeneration both refer to a new beginning in a person’s life, but they are two different beginnings. New birth, which occurs first in a person’s history, is an inward new beginning in the soul through receiving a new life from God. An evidence of this will be seen in his seeking after God. Regeneration is an outward new beginning of a believer’s life, consequent upon his being saved and having received the Holy Spirit. New birth and regeneration both involve a “bath,” which signifies washing or cleansing. The bath involved in new birth signifies an inward washing in the soul through receiving a new clean life from God (John 13:10 – W. Kelly Trans.; 1 Cor. 6:11), whereas the “bath” in regeneration signifies an outward washing of the person's life in a practical sense (Titus 3:5 – J. N. Darby Trans. footnote).
(Vs. 7)
Paul passes from God’s work in us to God’s work for us. He says, “Being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” We could not become heirs of God merely by the Spirit’s work in us; we must also be justified by His grace whereby we are set in our full Christian position before God “in Christ”—which justification does (Gal. 2:17). Thus, God has saved us and justified us, and thus we have been made “heirs” of the inheritance—which is every created thing (Rom. 8:17; 1 Cor. 3:22; Gal. 4:7; Eph. 1:11, 14). And not only that, we have the “hope” (a deferred certainty) of eternal life. We have that life now as a present possession, but we must wait to be taken home to heaven to have it in our glorified state, of which Paul speaks here.
(Vs. 8)
He concludes with: “The word is faithful, and I desire that thou insist strenuously on these things, that they who have believed God may take care to pay diligent attention to good works. These things are good and profitable to men.” Thus, Titus was to insist on the practical working out of the truth in the saints’ lives in godly character, and this would be seen in their “good works.”
The Christian’s Responsibility Towards False and Divisive Teachers
(Vss. 9-11)
Paul knew that affirming the truth, as he had enjoined Titus to do, would surely be met with resistance from the Judaizing teachers who were there in Crete (chap. 1:10). Anticipating this, he gave Titus some simple but important advice. He says: “Avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the Law; for they are unprofitable and vain.” Judaizing teachers love to argue over religious questions having to do with the Law, but Titus was to be careful not to get drawn into those strivings. He was to avoid everything that was of a contentious nature in his ministry; it would only spoil it.
Paul supposes that there might even be someone who would get so taken up with these unprofitable questions that he would become the leader of a party that rallied around that cause. Such a person would manifest a divisive spirit and was to be avoided. Paul warned the Roman saints of this: “I beseech you, brethren, mark them that cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple [unsuspecting] (Rom. 16:17-18). Note: it is not, “Mark them which follow in divisions,” but those who “cause” divisions. This means that we must distinguish between the leaders and the led when a party spirit arises in the assembly. If the party leader does not judge himself, his agitations will lead to an outward split in the assembly where he and his party will break away from the fellowship of the saints and meet elsewhere. By causing an outward separation, the man will prove himself to be a “heretic,” which means “a maker of a sect.”
Many think that heresy is holding or propounding bad doctrine, probably because most heretics hold bad doctrine (2 Peter 2:1). It has become conventionally accepted as such in most circles. However, heresy really refers to the dividing of the saints. Being deluded, a heretic will believe that what he is doing is right and good and for the Lord’s glory—but it is clearly a work of the flesh (Gal. 5:20). A “schism” is an inward division among the saints—a rift (1 Cor. 11:18 – margin). Whereas a “sect” is an outward division of saints who break away and start something new (1 Cor. 11:19 – margin). A schism, if not judged, will grow into a sect. Paul tells Titus: “A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject [have done with]; knowing that he that is such is subverted [perverted], and sinneth, being condemned of himself” (vss. 10-11). Paul does not tell him to have the assembly excommunicate the man, because he, by his very act of leading his party to separate from the assembly, is already out. If Titus were to come across such a person who has led a separation, he was to “admonish” him once and again. After that, he was to “have done with” him, because he is “perverted.”
Conclusions
(Vss. 12-15)
Paul closes the epistle with a few short directives regarding the work. He planned to send “Artemas” or “Tychicus” to relieve Titus in Crete, so that Titus could be free to meet him in “Nicopolis” (western Greece). It seems from 2nd Timothy 4:12 that Tychicus was sent to Ephesus rather than Crete, meaning that Artemas was probably the one who went to Crete (vs. 12).
(Vs. 13)
Apparently, “Zenas the lawyer and Apollos” were to visit the island. Paul encouraged Titus to help them “diligently” in their ministry. Zenas was a Jewish lawyer who had been converted. He would be a great help to Titus in refuting the Judaizing element that was troubling the saints there. Zenas was perfectly suited to handling their squabbles over details of the Law. It may be the reason why he and Apollos went there.
(Vs. 14)
Paul gives one last exhortation regarding the need for good works. He says: “Let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.” Paul has insisted on “good works” many times in this epistle; its importance cannot be minimized—especially in the situation that existed in Crete. The once lazy Cretians were to be diligent in changing their public image on the island by performing good works; it would help to reverse the negative testimony that they had there. Paul adds, “for necessary uses.” This shows that Christians could be found doing some work or service in secular life that is not really necessary for life on earth. As a rule, our secular employment should be in something that is not dubious and questionable in character.
(Vs. 15)
His closing salutation shows the need for genuine love being expressed among the saints—especially when they face the world’s cold persecution which is on every hand. We all need this kind of encouragement.