Titus 3:5

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; NOT BY, [ ex (G1537)] - 'Out of:' 'not as a result from works,' etc. OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, [ toon (G3588) en (G1722) dikaiosunee (G1343)] - 'done in a state of righteousness (justification); as "deeds ... done in God" (John 3:21). There was wanting in us the element ("righteousness") in which alone righteous works could be done; so necessarily an absence of the works. 'We neither did works of righte...

5_Not by works _(259) Let us remember that here Paul addresses his discourse to believers, and describes the manner in which they entered into the kingdom of God. He affirms that by their works they did not at all deserve that they should become partakers of salvation, or that they should be reconciled to God through faith; but he says that they obtained this blessing solely through the mercy of God. We therefore conclude from his words, that we bring nothing to God, but that he goes before us by his pure grace, without any regard to works. For when he says, — “Not by works which we have done”, he means, that we can do nothing but sin till we have been renewed by God. This negative statement depends on the former affirmation, by which he said that they were foolish and disobedient, and led away by various desires, till they were created anew in Christ; and indeed, what good work could pr...

1-7 Spiritual privileges do not make void or weaken, but confirm civil duties. Mere good words and good meanings are not enough without good works. They were not to be quarrelsome, but to show meekness on all occasions, not toward friends only, but to all men, though with wisdom, James 3:13. And let this text teach us how wrong it is for a Christian to be churlish to the worst, weakest, and most abject. The servants of sin have many masters, their lusts hurry them different ways; pride commands one thing, covetousness another. Thus they are hateful, deserving to be hated. It is the misery of sinners, that they hate one another; and it is the duty and happiness of saints to love one another. And we are delivered out of our miserable condition, only by the mercy and free grace of God, the merit and sufferings of Christ, and the working of his Spirit. God the Father is God our Saviour. He...

Verse 5. _NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS_] Those who were foolish, disobedient, and deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, could not possibly have _works of righteousness_ to plead; therefore, if saved at all, they must be saved by _mercy_. Ephesians 2:8; and see a discourse entitled, _Salvation by Faith proved_, 8vo., 1816, in which I have examined every system invented by man for his restoration to the Divine favour and image: and have demonstrated, by mere reason, their utter insufficiency to answer the end for which they have been invented; and have proved that the doctrine of salvation by faith is the only _rational_ way of salvation. _BY THE WASHING OF REGENERATION_] δια λουτρου παλιγγενεσιας. Undoubtedly the apostle here means _baptism_, the rite by which persons were admitted into the Church, and the visible sign

NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH WE HAVE DONE - The plan was not based on our own good works, nor are our own good works now the cause of our salvation. If people could have been saved by their own good works, there would have been no need of salvation by the Redeemer; if our own deeds were now the basis of our title to eternal life, the work of Christ would be equally unnecessary. It is a great and fundamental principle of the gospel that the good works of men come in for no share in the justification of the soul. They are in no sense a consideration on account of which God pardons a man, and receives him to favor. The only basis of justification is the merit of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the matter of justification before God, all the race is on a level; see the notes at Ephesians 2:8. But according to his mercy

EXPOSITION TITUS 3:1 In _subjection _for _subject, _A.V.; _rulers _for _principalities. _A.V.; _to authorities _for _and powers, _A.V. and T.R.; _to be obedient _for _to obey magistrates, _A.V.; _unto _for _to, _A.V. PUT THEM IN MIND (ὑπομίμνησκε); as 2 Timothy 2:14. TO RULERS, TO AUTHORITIES. Many uncials, which the R.T. follows, omit the καὶ, but it seems necessary to the sense. The change from "principalities and powers" to" rulers" and "authorities" does not seem desirable. Ἀρχάι_ _and ἐξουσίαι_ _is a favorite juxtaposition el' St. Paul's (1 Corinthians 15:24; Ephesians 1:21; Ephesians 3:10; Ephesians 6:12;...

NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH WE HAVE DONE,.... The great instance of the kindness and love of God our Saviour is salvation; which the apostle denies that it is brought about by any works, even the best works of men; for "works of righteousness" are works done according to a righteous law, and in obedience to it; and in a righteous manner, from right principles of grace, in faith, and with a view to the glory of God; or otherwise they are not righteous actions, or works of righteousness; wherefore not works before, but after conversion, are here meant; for works before conversion are not properly works of righteousness: besides, these are such which we have done, who formerly were as before described, but now are regenerated and renewed by the Holy Ghost, and created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Now salvation, neither in whole, nor in part, is by these, either as causes; condit...

Titus 3:1. _Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men._ Gentleness was not reckoned a virtue among the Greeks; I do not suppose that the people in Crete had ever heard of it before Paul wrote this Epistle to Titus. Among the Romans and the Greeks, it seemed to be a virtue to stand up for your own, to be like a gamecock, who is always ready to fight, and will never miss a chance of fighting; but this Christian virtue of gentleness is a most amiable one, and greatly adorns the doctrine of Christ. The world has run away with this word gentle, and now calls many a person a gentleman who has no right to the name. I wish that every gentleman were indeed a gentleman. It is very significant that Moses, the type of the Lord Jesus under

RIGHTEOUSNESS (_ See Scofield) - (Romans 10:3). _ SAVED (_ See Scofield) - (Romans 1:16). _...

III. IN RELATION TO THE WORLD AND FALSE TEACHERS CHAPTER 3 _ 1. Instructions (Titus 3:1)_ 2. Warnings (Titus 3:9) 3. Directions (Titus 3:12) Titus 3:1 He asks Titus to remind all believers to be subject to rulers, principalities and powers (Greek: Magistracies and authorities, Romans 13:1), to yield obedience and to be ready for every good work. An ancient historian, Diodones Siculus, speaks of the riotous insubordination of the Cretans. They were to speak evil of no man, nor were they to be contentious, but show all gentleness and all