Gail Mize
Titus 3:3 (KJV) For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
This verse describes Christians in the Church. Christians operating in the power of the Holy Spirit can turn away from their sinful ways. This is the repentance that all Christians should do after they have been born from above. The result is a new life in Christ lived by the power of the Holy Spirit. This new life is not automatic with the new birth experience, but must be appropriated by allowing the Word of God transform one’s life.
Titus 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
After the new birth experience, the Holy Spirit empowers all believers who repent of their sins, and they now have the power to turn away from their evil ways and live the victorious Christian life. The Christian’s life cannot be reformed. It must be transformed by the renewing of the Holy Spirit in those Christians who crucify self and live in the newness of life. Both the new birth experience and the transforming or renewing of the Holy Spirit are seen in the following verse.
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;
God saved us by imparting and quickening our spirit with a portion of the Spirit of God. The gift of God is a part of his spirit, which totally justifies us and forgives us of all of our sins. After this act of God, we are totally justified forever, having received the imputed righteousness of Christ. The renewing of the Holy Ghost is the sanctification process that transforms us into a new creature. The washing of regeneration pertains to our spirits being made alive, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost pertains to our souls, which is the new man in Christ.
Titus 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
The renewing of the Holy Ghost is dispersed (i.e., shed) in a continuous and gradual manner upon all Christians who die to self and appropriate the life of Christ. This transformation is by way of the life of Jesus Christ our Savior, but it is not automatic. The Christian must do something to appropriate the life of Christ. He must repent, die to self and study the Word of God, which brings about this transformation. The Scriptures call this putting off the old man (i.e., the old soul) and putting on the new man in Christ (i.e., the new soul). This is how one’s soul is saved at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Titus 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Our sprit has been saved and justified—past tense—and we will receive a glorified body in the future. We also have the power available to us to save our souls by the power of the Holy Spirit. If we do this, then we are made heirs with Christ and realize the hope of eternal life. Eternal life pertains to soul salvation and not spirit salvation. Eternal life can be lost at the Judgment Seat of Christ, but spirit salvation is eternally secure.
Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
In order to save our souls and not lose our opportunity to have eternal life, we must lose our souls by destroying our flesh nature. Good works means we turn from our flesh nature and assume the nature of Christ. The Christian must lay hold onto eternal life, which is the same as soul salvation. Good works must be maintained in order to realize eternal life. If this happens then the Christian can receive glory and honor and immortality of his soul (i.e., life). Eternal life is the commemoration of a life well-lived—remembered forever. Eternal life is the reward of the inheritance.