After presenting the negative side of things evident in our lives before Christ in the previous verses, Paul turns to the positive, and to the event of Christ’s mercy itself in our lives.

Take a look at this week’s passage in Titus 3:4-5:

On the one hand, this passage is simple and straight-forward, and very encouraging. On the other hand, the final phrase of these two verses presents a bit of an interpretive challenge.

Paul makes a very strong contrast between our lives pre- and post-Christ. And the difference maker is Christ himself! Christ came. That is the message of the Gospel in a nutshell. Christ came, and did for us what we could not do for ourselves by restoring us to God’s good favor.

And, lest we believe that we had anything at all to do with this, Paul makes it clear that this work is all Christ’s doing. None of our righteous works were enough to even get us close (See Romans 4:4-5; Ephesians 2:8-9, 2 Timothy 1:9). What brings about our salvations is solely God’s mercy, through Christ’s actions on the cross.

Paul then goes a step further, and describes how God chooses to save us; or perhaps when. This happens through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

Many have found Paul’s language here to be confusing. Is he referring to two events, washing and renewal? Or only one, described by two terms. At first glance, this phrase seems to be a strong reference to baptism as a part of the process by which God saves us. But many have cried out against that, not accepting that baptism is necessary.

I believe that Paul’s point here is very clear. The main point brought to our attention by both words is that God saved us at that point when he regenerated us and renewed us, when he brought us into a new existence that is far better than the old life that he previously described.

What brings about this change? The washing. And even though the Greek word used here is different from the one typically used for baptism, the connection is strong between the two words throughout the New Testament. Paul’s wording here cannot be stronger: “He saved us… by means of, through, the washing…”

Some will argue that baptism is a work, and that we cannot be saved by works. That is true. It is impossible to be saved on our own merits, as Paul just stated. This does not mean, however, that we are free to disregard God’s commands, or stop doing good works.

The simple fact is that the Bible never treats baptism a work, such as obedience to God’s command or in response to his wishes. Baptism is always included in the category of grace or mercy. That means that baptism is not a work from ourselves at all, but truly something from God, that he accomplishes in us. In other words, this washing is God’s work in us, to accomplish our salvation, our regeneration and renewal.

So Paul is clear. When does this renewal and regeneration happen? At baptism. And the power that accomplishes it is none other than the Holy Spirit.

Question: Have you been baptized? If not, what is keeping you from it? You can leave a comment by clicking here.