3:3 To motivate his readers to obey these commands Paul encouraged them by reminding them of the way they used to be. They had already come a long way. Each characteristic he mentioned in this verse contrasts with one he had urged his readers to adopt earlier in this epistle. They--Paul included himself--had been foolish, not sensible; disobedient, not submissive; deceived, not enlightened; and enslaved, not free and self-disciplined. Moreover they had been malicious, not peaceable; envious, not considerate; and hateful, not loving.
3:4-5 The appearance Paul referred to is the sending of Jesus Christ to die for us, the Incarnation. That was the greatest revelation of God's kindness and love for humankind. God took the initiative. God does not save people because they behave righteously but because He is merciful (cf. Rom. 3:27-28; 4:4-5; Gal. 2:16-17; Eph. 2:8-9; 2 Tim. 1:9). The salvation He provides consists of rebirth that Paul likened here to washing off sin's filth (John 3:3-8; Rom. 6:4; Eph. 5:26; 1 Pet. 1:3, 23) and renewal by God's Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 5:17). He did not mention human faith because his emphasis here was on God's grace in providing salvation.
"He came to tell men, not of the justice which would pursue them for ever until it caught up with them, but of the love which would never let them go."72
In verse 5 "washing"could refer to conversion and "renewing"to the coming of the Holy Spirit on the new believer. Another view is that "washing"could refer to baptism with "regeneration"and "renewing"describing what the Spirit does in salvation. Probably "washing"is a metaphor for spiritual cleansing rather than for baptism with the emphasis in the entire phrase being on the Spirit's cleansing, regenerating work.73
Note the reference to the work that all three members of the Trinity accomplished in our salvation in these verses.
3:6-7 God poured out His Holy Spirit on believers richly. He did this first at Pentecost (Acts 2), but He does it since then whenever individuals experience conversion (cf. Rom. 5:5). His grace always exceeds our need. God has not only graciously declared us righteous, but He has also graciously made us the heirs of eternal life. Paul's whole emphasis was on the grace of God. We owe everything to God's grace.
Note that in verses 5-7 Paul explained whatGod did (saved, washing, regeneration, renewing, justified), its basis(God's mercy), its means(the Holy Spirit), and its goal(hope of eternal life).
3:8 The "trustworthy statement"(1 Tim. 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim. 2:11) Paul referred to is probably what he had just written in verses 4-7. The first "these things"in this verse are the things that he had just described in those verses. Titus was to speak about these great truths confidently (cf. 2:15). The intended result was to be that those who have trusted God for salvation would practice good works (cf. Eph. 2:8-10; James 2:14-26). The second "these things"in the verse refers to these good works. This verse summarizes the point Paul made throughout this epistle. Good works, he added, are essentially excellent as well as profitable for everyone on the practical level.
"The best way a local church has to witness to the lost is through the sacrificial service of its members."74
