4 “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 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,” (Titus 3:4-5 ESV).
Today’s text is a stark contrast to the condition of fallen sinners the Apostle Paul described in Titus 3:3: “For 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.”
The Apostle Paul explained to Titus that while our sins are sufficient to condemn us, our works of righteousness are not sufficient to save us from God’s judgment. Salvation from sin’s penalty, power and eventual presence is based upon God’s sovereign grace alone, through God given faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. It is not based on human effort.
“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared.” Titus 3:4 begins with a conjunction of contrast; But. What fallen sinners were is contrasted with what they have become. The basis for this change in status is the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior.
Goodness (χρηστότης; chrēstotēs) is kindness, which is a manifestation of grace. Loving kindness (φιλανθρωπία; philanthrōpia) is a benevolent love for one’s fellow man. Both of these qualities are solely sourced in and from God the Father, our Savior.
Paul refers to God the Father as Savior in this text. In the Pastoral Epistles, Paul describes both God the Father and God the Son as Saviors for the elect (I Timothy 1:1; 2:3; 4:10; 2 Tim. 1:8-10; Titus 1:3-4; 2:10; 2:13; 3:4-6).
To appear (ἐπιφαίνω; epiphainō) is a past tense passive verb. It means to give light and understanding. It means to manifest and reveal something. In this context, what God manifested to fallen sinners was His goodness and loving kindness.
The appearance of God our Savior’s goodness and loving kindness was to save us sinners. God has personally saved us. To save (σῴζω; sozo) means to deliver, rescue and heal. At a particular point in time, God actively chose to deliver me from my sin; its penalty, power and eventual presence. As is the case with every believer in Christ, God saved me from the penalty of sin, is saving me from the power of sin, and will eventually save me from the very presence of sin.
Romans 3:21–26 (ESV) says, “21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Ephesians 2:4–7 (ESV) – “4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
“Titus 3:1–7 also reflects this principle of imitation, making the Creator’s benevolence toward us while we were hateful and undeserving the basis for the courtesy we are to show to the non-Christians around us. Against those who would try to argue that Titus and the other Pastoral Epistles (1 and 2 Timothy) are not Pauline, the concept of imitation in Titus 3 indicates that these letters come from the apostle. Moreover, it is a powerful reminder of the grace that our triune God has shown to us lest we forget what we were before Christ called us to Himself, rescuing us from our wandering,” Dr. R. C. Sproul explains.
“What a striking contrast, a double contrast, in fact! (1) Over against “man’s inhumanity to man” pictured in verse 3, is portrayed God’s benignity (a word used only by Paul: Rom. 2:4; 3:12; 11:22, etc.) and love for man (cf. Acts 28:2). And (2) upon the Stygian darkness of our past (verse 3) dawns dramatically the light of the Father’s kindliness and pity which brought us into the present state of grace. (Here again is that glorious epiphany mentioned earlier; see on Titus 2:11.)”[1]
May each of us God has saved take time today to praise Him for this wonderful gift of grace. Have a blessed day in the Lord.
Soli deo Gloria!
[1] William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles, vol. 4, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 389.
His Word Today 