Titus 3:5

“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 3:5 ESV). The context our verse is from is about godly living and being heirs of grace. We are reminded how to live and it was pointed out how we used to live. In order to make this transition from sin to godly living, God would have to be involved. It is out of kindness and the love of God our savior that our verse becomes reality.

When we are born physically we are spiritually dead in our sin and no matter how hard we try we can never become acceptable to God to where he would grant us eternal life. While we were dead in our trespasses he made us alive together with Christ as an act of grace through faith. Through the death of Jesus Christ, justice was served, freeing God to extend mercy to us.

Regeneration refers to the new birth or being born again. In a broad sense this idea of regeneration can be applied to all of creation to be set free from its bondage to corruption and we being part of creation we groan with it as with pains of childbirth (Romans 8:20-23). The washing refers to the cleansing process of removing our sin through regeneration.

The renewal of the Holy Spirit is the process known as sanctification. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in us to help us become more like Jesus. It is the process of replacing our sinful nature with God's Holy nature.

Prayer

Father, thank you for choosing us, causing us to be born again, and transforming us into the image of Jesus. Thank you for the work of the Holy Spirit in the process of our sanctification. Thank you for the living hope you have given us of spending an eternity in a loving caring relationship with you and Jesus.