Key word: Regeneration
Titus was a young minster, a contemporary with Timothy. Toward the end of his life, Paul writes to these two men to instruct them concerning essentials in the local church. Timothy was ministering in Ephesus, while Titus was on the Island of Crete. There is some overlap between Paul’s first epistle to Timothy and this one to Titus, still a number of essentials for the church of Christ are identified:
• Church leadership – elders (1:5-9). While the list of qualities for elders is similar to 1 Timothy 3, one emphasis stands out – elders must be able to hold fast to the word, teach it (exhort) and defend it (1:9).
• Good deeds: 7 times, and in every chapter, Paul mentions doing good deeds (1:16, 27, 14; 3:1, 5, 8, 14). Good deeds do not save us (3:5) but they should flow out of our redemptive lives (3:1).
• Doctrine: 9 times doctrine or doctrinal related words are found in this little epistle. The church of Christ must be doctrinally sound and living in such a way as to adorn the doctrine of God (1:1, 4, 9, 13, 14; 2:1, 5, 7, 10).
• The doctrine of regeneration is specifically highlighted (3:4-5). Here we learn that the Lord saved us, not on the basis of our good deeds, but on the basis of God’s love, kindness, and mercy. Paul adds that our salvation is accomplished through an act of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. Regeneration speaks of new life, of what Jesus called being born again. It is the act whereby the Spirit radically transforms us from rebellious enemies of God, into the children of God who are now new creations in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). We, as a result, have a new nature, with new desires, and new capacities. We are now in the process of being transformed by the renewing of our mind and living to the glory of God. Our key word is regeneration and our key verse will be 3:5.
Key verse: Titus 3:5 – He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit
