According to His Mercy
A Titus 3:5–7 KJV devotional about salvation according to God’s mercy, regeneration by the Holy Ghost, justification by grace, and eternal hope.
“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 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.”
Titus 3:5–7 KJV
A rescue report gives the credit to the one who entered the danger and brought the helpless person out. Titus 3 is God’s rescue report for salvation. It does not describe sinners climbing toward Him by works of righteousness. It says, “according to his mercy he saved us.” The Holy Ghost gives new life, grace justifies, and Jesus Christ our Saviour stands at the center of the whole passage. We receive an inheritance, but we cannot claim the rescue as our achievement.
Remember what we were
Paul begins the chapter by reminding believers that they were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved by sinful desires. The description leaves no room for spiritual pride toward people who are still lost.
Grace should make a Christian truthful about the past and gentle toward others. We do not excuse sin, but we remember that our own change did not begin with superior character. The kindness of God appeared when we needed mercy.
Not by works of righteousness
Some works look religious enough to become dangerous substitutes for faith. Baptism, church membership, giving, service, and moral reform cannot become the cause of salvation. The verse excludes even works we would call righteous.
Good works matter in Titus, but Paul puts them after salvation. A life of obedience adorns the doctrine of God and serves others. It never becomes the foundation beneath the sinner’s acceptance.
The washing of regeneration
Salvation includes an inward work only God can perform. Regeneration is new birth by the Holy Ghost, not a fresh coat of religion over the old life. The Spirit renews the person through the saving work of Christ.
The word “washing” does not turn water baptism into the cause of new birth. Paul has already ruled out works as the ground of salvation. The cleansing pictured here belongs to the inward renewal given by the Holy Ghost.
Justified and made heirs
To be justified is to be declared righteous before God through grace. The sinner does not wait through a probation period to see whether enough improvement will appear. Faith rests in Jesus Christ, and His righteousness provides the believer’s standing.
Grace then opens a future. Believers are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Christian hope is not a guess about what might happen. It is confident expectation built on the promise of the God who cannot lie.
Give the Rescuer all the credit
Read Titus 3:3–8 and circle the contrast between “we ourselves” and the kindness, love, mercy, Spirit, Saviour, and grace of God. The passage moves every source of salvation away from human achievement.
Refuse the urge to improve your testimony by making yourself the hero. Tell the truth about the mercy of God. A testimony honours Christ when it makes clear who rescued and who needed rescue.
Let mercy shape the way you deal with difficult people. Remembering what we were does not weaken truth. It removes the pride that speaks truth as though grace were never needed in our own case.
Maintain good works for the reason verse 8 gives. They are good and profitable unto men. Serve because grace has saved you and because people need the benefit of faithful Christian conduct.
Why the setting matters
Titus 3 joins a sober account of the believer’s former life with the kindness and mercy of God. Salvation is not produced by righteous works. It comes through Jesus Christ, the renewing work of the Holy Ghost, and justification by grace. Good works follow as useful fruit.
Continue in the Word
Read further: Titus 3:1–11; John 3:3–8; Ephesians 2:8–10