@Chad4Him,
Could you clarify? To you, does the verse read differently than this?
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
I agree with what the scripture says…, but in context it’s teaching we have been “saved from sin” by the “works” of Jesus Christ doing what man could not do. All scriptures point to the deliverance from sin “first” and then the door is opened to eternal life. This is because we “could not” have eternal life as long as sin was present (Gal. 3:21).
Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been
“a law” given which
“could have given life,
” verily righteousness should have been by the law.
The law could not give life or Righteousness “spiritually” because the law could not take away sin. This is what Titus 3:1-5 is talking about. It is not addressing eternal life initially until sin is removed.
Tit 3:1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to “every good work,”
Tit 3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers,
but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.
Tit 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful,
and hating one another.
Before they knew Jesus Christ they were sinners doing all these foolish works as we see itemized above in verses 2, 3. Titus started teaching they should be ready to do good works now that they are saved; after God revealed His kindness and love to man, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Man was saved from their sins by the “WASHING” of “REGENERATION,” of the born again experience; and given the Holy Ghost which renewed them after their sins were removed (2Co. 5:21). Remember, sin is why man could not have life/the Holy Ghost abiding in them forever.
Tit 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Tit 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;
The “works of Righteousness” in this context is from sin. A man could not do these works of Righteousness - though they tried under the Mosaic Law.
Gal 3:21
Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
We know that Israel worked to be Righteous through the Atonement of animal sacrifices which could not take away their sins that they may be spiritually righteous; they were only righteous through their actions of the flesh (obedience). So Jesus came to work the works of Spiritual Righteousness by becoming the final Atonement for sins. This is what man could not do (Rom 8:3; Acts 13:39).
Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city,
“to finish the transgression,
” and
“to make an “END” of sins,
” and to
make reconciliation for iniquity, and
to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and
to anoint the most Holy.
If Jesus didn’t finish the transgression and make and end of sins, everlasting Righteousness could not enter and Jesus would not have been anointed the most Holy.