Woe to Jerusalem With Her Prophets and Priests
But there follows a closer threat for the Jew. “Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!” (vs. 1). This is not Nineveh, but Jerusalem. The most solemn word of God is always reserved for His own people, city, and sanctuary. Judgment must begin at His house: the denunciation may end with it, but judgment begins there. Hence, therefore, we find this woe to complete all. “She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in Jehovah; she drew not near to her God. Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow” (vss. 2-3). We find here therefore failure first towards Jehovah, then towards everyone else—oppressive cruelty, and this persisted in too. Shamelessness in evil, once it is yielded to, always characterizes the fall of those that enjoyed better light but gave it up. There is nothing more blessed than light from God: where the heart basks in it, the conscience is quickened by it; but there is nothing so tremendous as where it is despised and becomes a name, a profane and common thing. “Her prophets are light and treacherous persons” (vs. 4). They ought to have had most of all the mind of God. “Her priests have polluted the sanctuary” (vs. 4). This would have been bad enough in the dwellings of Israel; what was it for the priests in the temple of Jehovah? “They have done violence to the law. The just Jehovah is in the midst thereof; He will not do iniquity: every morning doth He bring His judgment to light, He faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame” (vss. 4-5). He abides faithful; so much the worse that “the unjust” should be not a heathen but an Israelite.
Consequently, we have what Jehovah must do not merely to the heathen but to Jerusalem. “I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant. I said, Surely thou wilt fear Me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings” (vss. 6-7). As Jehovah rose early to send them messages and warnings, they rose early to indulge in their wickedness. Hence comes the sentence, “Therefore wait ye upon Me, saith Jehovah, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them Mine indignation, even all My fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy” (vs. 8).
Judgment on Earth Ushers in the Blessedness
But the day of judgment on the quick ushers in the predicted era of earth’s blessedness: as it is said by an earlier prophet, “the acceptable year of Jehovah and the day of vengeance of our God” (Isa. 61:2). How strange that good men should overlook what God’s Word makes so plain, if one knew not the blinding power of tradition “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of Jehovah, to serve Him with one consent” (vs. 9). This does not mean the people of Israel, but the peoples in relationship with Jehovah among the nations. But it does not hence follow that the spread of Christianity and any check thereby given to idolatry throughout the world are here specifically predicted. When it is fulfilled, it will be no dislodgment of idolatry here or there in parts of the globe, still less will it admit of the rising up of the pollutions of anti-Christian systems, while vast regions still remain the theater of varied and most degrading idolatry. Scripture reveals an age to come, distinct from the present and before the judgment of the great white throne (Rev. 20), during which divine mercy will bless the nations far and wide. This, and not Christianity properly so called, is here set forth.
The Jews No Longer Ashamed but Meek
Then again, we read, “From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My suppliants, even the daughter of My dispersed, shall bring Mine offering” (vs. 10). These suppliant worshippers are the Jews who return from beyond the rivers of Cush (the Nile and the Euphrates) which ordinarily girded them round. In that day shame for the past will be taken from the Jews: not of course that they shall not deeply mourn and truly repent, but the reproach shall be removed from them. Their vain self-exaltation shall disappear, and they shall be the meek of the earth. The reference is not to gospel but to Messianic times, after the execution of the judgments just spoken of. It is impossible therefore justly to bring in here the spread of Christianity, which has not overthrown idolatry, but after subverting it within, the Roman Empire has apostatized to it largely far and wide. Hence even the advocates of such a loose interpretation are obliged to own that it has hitherto been only partially fulfilled. There is anything but the “one shoulder” in Christendom for the service of the Lord. Do they not understand that it is only when divine judgment has been poured out on all the assembled nations that then Jehovah will work this mighty and beneficent change to His own glory? It is the blessedness of the earthly kingdom of our Lord.
For along with God’s judgment of the nations will be a new heart to Israel; and upon Jerusalem shall be the glory for a defense. There shall be then the returning tide of divine mercy, when the promises shall be fulfilled to the full and established forever. “In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings wherein thou hast transgressed against Me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of My holy mountain” (vs. 11). It is the fruit of grace undoubtedly; but it is want of intelligence to see in this the picture of the gospel state. We must leave room for the varied dealings of God according to His Word. It is the new age, not the present evil age. “I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people” (vs. 12). There must be moral integrity as well as true lowliness before they can be entrusted with the throne. They are destined to have the first dominion: ere that they will know a humiliation not by circumstances only but by grace in spirit which will fit them for their future greatness.
Holy and True, With None to Make Them Afraid
And the afflicted and poor people “shall trust in the name of Jehovah. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies” (vss. 12-13) — the very faults they have been so notorious for during their sorrowful and often persecuted sojourn among the Gentiles. Deceit has peculiarly marked the Jew in his exiled state: it is apt to be the character of a down-trodden people. Those who have things their own way can afford to have a kind of honesty after the flesh; but in the case of people for ages hunted and destroyed and the object of unprecedented rapine and cruelty as the poor Jews were, it was not to be wondered at. Where grace is not known in Christ, persecution generates this kind of deceit in language, as well as iniquity in many another way. But the change is at hand and here announced: “The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid” (vs. 13). There will be the removal of all the old occasion for fear externally; and even before this a moral change will have been produced by the grace of God within them. It is not in outward things really to form the heart in any case. But where mind and conscience are depraved, circumstances furnish incentives to the inroad and practice of evil, and thus aggravate, no doubt. On the other hand, Jehovah in His mercy will work His own mighty work within, as He also will mow down their adversaries. Thus, circumstances will be turned in their favor at the very time when Jehovah has wrought His great work. It will be what the Lord Jesus calls “the regeneration” (Matt. 19:28), when the twelve tribes of Israel shall judge and be blessed in more than royal glory under the Son of Man. For we must remember that “regeneration” does not mean as is commonly supposed a subjective change or a new nature given as in the new birth, but a blessed position into which we are brought now by divine power in Christ, or by and by established publicly when He comes in glory. It is now known to faith, of course, yet is not so much the inward work of the Spirit but rather the new place that we enter by resurrection in virtue of His death.
The Washing of Regeneration, Not of New Birth
Hence we read of being saved by the washing of regeneration (Titus 3; compare 1 Peter 3). It is not merely that we are born again, but we have left the old behind and are now a new creation. Of course, it supposes the new birth, or it is only a hollow form. The two things are identified in ecclesiastical writings, and frequently, too, in baptismal services we see the same mistake perpetrated which the Fathers first introduced. They always confound new birth and regeneration. Few Protestants have emancipated themselves from the error. But post-apostolic ecclesiastics were those that brought in the error. Regeneration goes beyond new birth and supposes a passage into the new order of Christ, of which baptism therefore is the sign. Accordingly, I should say that all saints were born again from the beginning, but that none (in this the only true sense of the word) were regenerate till after Christ’s death and resurrection, when Christian baptism was instituted to set forth this truth. It is thus in my judgment not less but more full and significant. And though many may be baptized who are not born again, everyone regenerate (save only in form) must à fortiori be born again. The theologians, like the Fathers, hold that every baptized person is born again, using the phrases as interchangeable. If baptized, a man was regenerate or born again according to their system. It appears to be true, however, that the washing of regeneration in Titus 3 refers to baptism; but then, as it seems to me, the language of the passage proves that the introduction into the quite new order of things in Christ is accompanied by a new nature or life; that in short the new creation supposes new life and much more, all being bound up together. “But after that the kindness and love of God appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.” It is not man merely dead in sins or owning it, but “He saved us by the washing of regeneration” (Tit. 3:5). We must not neutralize nor attenuate salvation. It would be dangerous to take “he saved us” as here spoken of the Christian in any sense barely external.
“Saved,” What?
Indeed, I think a great vice at the present moment is making “salvation” too cheap and too common a word. You will find many evangelicals constantly saying when a man is converted that he is saved; whereas it is probably quite premature to say so. If truly converted he will be saved; but it is unwarrantable to say that every converted person is saved, because he may still be under doubts and fears—that is, under law more or less in conscience. “Saved” brings one out from all sense of condemnation—brings one to God consciously free in Christ, not merely before God with earnestness of desire after godliness. A soul is not converted unless brought to God in conscience; but then one might be the more miserable and all but despairing in this state. Does scripture allow us to call such an one “saved”? Certainly not, He who is saved as here in Titus is one who being justified by faith has peace with God. It seems therefore that the distinction between what some call being safe and being saved is quite true and even helpful. Not that those safe could be lost, but that they are not yet brought out of all difficulties into rest of soul by faith. Then they are not safe only but saved. But it clearly is not possible that a converted person can be lost, for the life is eternal. One might be enlightened, and even be a partaker of the Holy Spirit, and yet be lost. Such a statement may surprise some; but such is the unequivocal intimation of Hebrews 6; and no believer need be in the least afraid of standing to the Word of God. To state it so is but repeating what scripture says: it is another matter whether we can help people to understand it. Let the truth be ever so clear and sure, with some you may not always succeed. It is easy enough to give scripture for it, which ought to be sufficient.
Quickening and Conversion Different Aspects of the Same State, but “Saved” Goes Farther
Hence it is a mistake to regard as saved any person who is not brought into happy relationship with God through our Lord Jesus. Thus, to take a scripture example, Cornelius was obviously converted, and not a mere self-righteous man, before Peter went to him; but he certainly was not saved until Peter preached the word which he and his house received as the glad tidings of God. Thereon they were not born again, but they received the Holy Spirit; and who could forbid water? They were saved. Such is the whole matter to my mind. It is not the difference between quickening and conversion, which is only one of different aspects of the same substantial truth. Quickening regards man, and conversion is a turning to God; but the quickened soul is converted, and the converted soul is quickened. Such distinctions may be true enough, but require more delicate handling than they too often receive; for those who could treat them properly would hardly think it worth their while. As they have no practical value for the soul or the Lord, and no particular bearing on the Word of God, they should be avoided. It seems to me trifling with souls to dwell on them. One ought almost to apologize for saying so much about the matter, which I do chiefly to warn all—and especially those who are young in the enjoyment of truth—from occupying their minds with shades of distinction which have no solidity whatever in them. Wherever the word is received, there is conversion, or turning to God, and there must be life in order that this should be real, not the mere effort of nature. If there be life, assuredly they must turn to God. It must be that the life is in a feeble state if the turning to God is not manifest. We cannot affirm that there is life unless there be a manifest turning to God. We may hope that life and conversion are there; but it must be felt to be serious when anything is equivocal about the soul in such a question. It is dangerous to be over-sanguine or to foster ungrounded hopes, though nothing excuses our encouraging souls to doubt. Uncertainty here is a wretched condition; but the feeblest desire Godward is not a thing to be crushed. It is right to foster the soul spite of that state, to entreat and warn, if they may thus get through their obstacles.
“Converted” in Luke 22
The only remark I would further make about “conversion” is that scripture uses it not merely for the first turning to God, but for a turning again to Him if one has slipped away. This is really the main distinction between conversion and quickening. For quickening can be only once, but “conversion” may be repeated. Though this is not at all its usage in our tongue, it is the fact that scripture uses the word for both turning to God and turning back if He have been departed from. That is, it includes what we call restoration of soul; as Peter after his first conversion was “converted” (Luke 22:32). Here restoring may be a fair paraphrase; but the literal meaning of the word is “converted.” Conversion, however, in modern phraseology is restricted, especially by Calvinists, to the first effectual work. This, however, is not well. Those who identify quickening with salvation naturally slip into a disuse of scriptural language if not really bad doctrine. Such is the effect always of an error—it puts you in collision with scripture. Do not think it so slight a matter after all. Although we should never force the thought on anyone, at the same time there need not be the slightest doubt of the distinctness of quickening from salvation, and of its importance. Identify quickening with salvation, and you are driven to think that Cornelius was a mere formalist at the time that he is said to be such a pious and prayerful man, abounding in almsgiving, which was not forgotten by God. Undoubtedly, he was no common Gentile: there was, I doubt not, a wise choice of him to whom the gospel was sent first. To me there is not the slightest difficulty, because the same principle applies to every Old Testament saint. The peculiarity here is, that he, a pious Gentile, was brought into the proper New Testament or Christian state, (and this is what is called “salvation,”) not when quickened or converted, which he may long have been, but only on hearing the gospel.
“Salvation” Often Spoken of As Future
The two things then coalesced. This is sometimes important to remember; for supposing a soul heard the truth preached, and received it, there might be not conversion and quickening only, but also “salvation,” practically all at once, though not, I think, ever at the same instant in any case. I doubt that it ever has been since the world began that a soul has known precisely together both conversion and salvation. So far from this, I admire God’s wisdom that it is not so; if it were, it would be no small injury to a soul, because this supposes it passing in a moment out of its sense of guilt, and consequently of sin and sins of every sort, into perfect peace with God, without time left for the most needed moral exercise. To my mind such an instantaneous transition would be a real loss, not gain. That life is imparted by receiving the Lord Jesus at once is most true; as forgiveness is when the soul bows to the gospel. But we must leave room for all, without hurrying ourselves into a system which agrees neither with scripture nor experience.
In most of the epistles, salvation is spoken of as a future thing. But I have spoken here of salvation as an accomplished fact, as in the Epistle to the Ephesians and the Pastoral Epistles. But the twelve men who formed the first nucleus of the church at Ephesus were clearly converted, and in a transition state before they received the gift of the Holy Spirit in the name of the Lord Jesus. They were meeting as disciples, not knowing anything beyond the testimony and baptism of John. Were not they converted? They were as truly converted as the Baptist was, and this was a very real thing no doubt. Nevertheless, they had not yet received the Holy Spirit in the way that they afterward experienced. In this we have the case clearly; and it was many years after Pentecost.
“Savior” in 1 Timothy 4 Means “Preserver”
There is another sense of the word “save” in Timothy, where it has a providential bearing. “The Savior of all men, specially of them that believe” (1 Tim. 4:10). To Timothy and Titus, it is the truth of salvation already effected, and the subject is looked at from the same point of view. But the way people reason on the point is quite a mistake. They assume, because it is said, He “hath saved us,” that we were brought into the whole blessing from the first moment of our faith. I am not aware that this is ever said in scripture. If it be without scripture, they have no right to lay down so absolutely, “He hath saved us”; for this is said, not when we were first attracted and broken down in soul and truly converted, but when we have submitted to the righteousness of God and received the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation.
Christian Baptism the Sign of the Change of Place for Man by Christ Dead and Risen
“The Lord added to the church [or together] daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47). This is doubtless a peculiar expression, meaning those destined to salvation out of the Jews, who as a people were on the way to judgment, and to the prison in which they still lie. Such as should be saved are the righteous remnant, really who are now added to the church instead of being left in their old place as Jews. We must remember there were a great many brethren—not only the hundred and twenty, but other names in Jerusalem. We hear of six hundred who saw the Lord at one time and must have come to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost. There may have been more. No doubt all these composed the assembly on whom the Holy Spirit first came. Then there were three thousand souls converted, who were added to those before, and all formed the assembly on the day of Pentecost. But the point here is that salvation precedes and is by the washing of regeneration. “He hath saved us by the washing of regeneration.” This is not an expression of man, but of God; and of this change of place or standing baptism is the sign.
But besides “the washing of regeneration” (Tit. 3:5) there is “the renewing of the Holy Ghost,” the washing of regeneration being, as I suppose, our introduction into the new place given us in Christ risen, as the renewing of the Holy Spirit is His mighty action internally, but operating in us conformably to it. That accompanies union; but I do not see that such is the point here. Regeneration is thus the new order of things seen in Christ risen, who makes all things new. As Christians we have this new place in Christ. So it is said in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.” That is the position, but of course there is also an internal reality which those have who are there. Its being a position, and so objective, does not set aside a real subjective change: still it is a position. The Christian is no longer in Adam: he is (not merely going to be) in Christ Jesus. Along with that there is a real life given. Of this verse 2 treats, which may perhaps answer to the renewing of the Holy Spirit here. “For the law of the spiritual life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
It is thus the work of the Spirit, and not merely so because the work of the Spirit is true in a new nature, but the new internal work of the Spirit is suitable to our new place. Of the renewing of the Holy Spirit it is therefore said, “which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:6). It is the full place and life of the Christian by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Three Things in Titus 3:5-6
Thus, there are three things in this text. First, there is salvation distinctly stated; secondly, there is position by the washing of regeneration; and thirdly there is full nature and power of the Christian by the Holy Spirit. The salvation is made ours by the grace of God; then follows what puts us into our new place and attests it outwardly; and lastly the new power of the Spirit in the new nature which accompanies the Christian position. There is the general result, and then the means by which that result is attained, as I think. The great fact is that He saved us, and this is the way in which it is effectuated and enjoyed; and this abundantly. In John 10:10 it is rather “life more abundantly” (John 10:10), life in resurrection power and fullness. Here it is said that the Holy Spirit is shed abundantly. Life in Christ is the main doctrine of John. Here the fullness of the Spirit’s power is brought before us in connection with the work of regeneration. I think that there is an allusion to baptism in “the washing” of regeneration (and I agree with the Authorized Version that the sense is “washing,” not laver as some critics have hastily assumed), because I believe that this is what baptism does show. Baptism sets forth not merely Christ’s death, and that I am dead with Him, but, as we find here, it goes onward to the new position. It is not only death but more; and not at all death in sins, but death to sin with Christ. To suppose that it is but death is another instance of merely taking a particular part and making it the whole.
1 Peter 3:21
What might confirm this to some is Peter’s way of looking at the matter. He says, “the like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us” (1 Pet. 3:21). Here again it is not merely what Christianity assumes of all mankind, but the sign of Christ’s work in grace that is complete as far as the soul is concerned—salvation of soul. We have not yet salvation of body, but we have what is more important after all than the body could be if the soul were not saved. Hence it is not the mere outward act of washing away the filth of the flesh. As we are told, it is the request of a good conscience by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The expression used, complicated by our habit of reading it as given in the Authorized Version, may make this a little difficult; but as we are on the point, it had better be said that it is the thing requested rather than the answer. It is what a good conscience wants. When the conscience is dealt with savingly by God, a man will not be satisfied with anything less than acceptance in Christ. This is really “the request of a good conscience toward God.” He wants to be as Christ is; to be free from self, free from sin as well as from condemnation. This is the true meaning: “the request of a good conscience by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” I take the resurrection as connected both with saving and with this request. Here we must close the long discussion into which the notice of “the regeneration” (Matt. 19:28) has led us.
We know it in Christ; Israel will enjoy it manifestly when the prophets are fulfilled.
Zion Shouts for Joy in the Regeneration
The close of the prophecy is a call to rejoice and exult. The daughter of Zion is summoned to shout for joy. “Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem” (Zep. 3:14). This confirms what has been said already, that it is the general place of future blessing, and not a special one. When we hear of the peculiar position of Judah, as brought back from captivity and subjected to a fresh test to which Israel was not, then the rejected Messiah is brought in. Such is not the case with Zephaniah. We should not know from Zephaniah, but that Messiah would come and bring in His glory as Jehovah all at once. In fact, we do not hear Him called Messiah as such, but rather the king, Jehovah. Verses 15-17 explain why they should thus rejoice. “Jehovah hath taken away thy judgments, He hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even Jehovah, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. Jehovah thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing” (vss. 15-17). What indeed is lacking? There is no finer description in the Bible of His complacent satisfaction when mercy has done all for the people that He loved. But the dark and cold night of oppression is supposed in verse 18. God does not disguise that up to the time of deliverance their position will be desolate, as in other respects, so especially in relation to the solemn assemblies. “I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden” (vs. 18). Now He appears for their exaltation from the dust as well as putting down their oppressors. “At that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out: and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you for I will make you a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith Jehovah” (vss. 19-20). Most gracious promise! Jehovah will remember all the sorrows and bring the Jews in for a name and a praise among all lands and tongues of the earth, when He reverses their captivity in their own sight as also before the eyes of all men.