Remember Who You Were and Rejoice in God’s Mercy
Paul begins the final chapter by reminding believers how they should live in society. He writes:
“Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work.” — Titus 3:1
Believers are also to be:
“…to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.” — Titus 3:2
Paul then reminds us why humility is so important. He says:
“For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures…” — Titus 3:3
Every believer has been rescued from a life of sin. Then comes one of the most beautiful descriptions of God’s saving grace:
“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared…” — Titus 3:4
Paul explains how salvation comes:
“…not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us…” — Titus 3:5
God accomplished this:
“…through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” — Titus 3:5
The Holy Spirit has been generously given:
“…whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” — Titus 3:6
This reminds us never to forget where God brought us from. We were not saved because we were good enough or deserving enough. We were saved entirely by God’s mercy. Remembering this keeps us humble, patient with others, and deeply grateful for the amazing grace we have received through Jesus Christ.
Saved by Grace to Live Differently
Paul continues by explaining the wonderful result of salvation. He writes:
“…that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” — Titus 3:7
He then gives Titus an important instruction:
“This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly…” — Titus 3:8
Why?
“…that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works.” — Titus 3:8
Paul immediately balances grace and obedience. Good works do not save us, but they naturally flow from genuine salvation. He describes such works as:
“These things are good and profitable to men.” — Titus 3:8
Titus 3 teaches that grace never produces laziness or carelessness. Instead, God’s mercy motivates believers to live lives that honour Him. We are saved by grace alone, but those who have truly experienced God’s grace become eager to serve others through good works that glorify Christ.
Avoid Divisiveness and Finish Well
Paul now warns Titus against fruitless controversies. He writes:
“But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.” — Titus 3:9
Some people continually create division within the church. Paul instructs:
“Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition.” — Titus 3:10
He explains:
“…knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.” — Titus 3:11
Paul concludes with several personal instructions regarding ministry companions and practical needs. He encourages us:
“And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.” — Titus 3:14
Finally, Paul closes the letter:
“Grace be with you all. Amen.” — Titus 3:15
This reminds us that healthy churches stay focused on what truly matters—the Gospel, good works, and loving service. Endless arguments and unnecessary divisions weaken the Church, but lives devoted to meeting needs and serving others display the beauty of Christ to the world.
Deeper Waters
Titus 3 brings Paul’s letter to a magnificent conclusion by returning to the heart of the Gospel. Having instructed Titus about church leadership (chapter 1) and Christian living (chapter 2), Paul now explains why believers live differently. The answer is not human effort but the saving mercy of God. This chapter presents one of the clearest summaries of salvation by grace in the entire New Testament while showing that genuine salvation always produces lives characterised by humility, good works, and unity.
Paul begins with practical instructions concerning believers’ relationship to society. They are to:
**”be subject to rulers and authorities… be ready for every good work.”**
Christians are called to be responsible citizens, not because earthly governments are perfect, but because God Himself is sovereign over every human authority (Romans 13:1). Submission does not require disobedience to God whenever authorities demand sin (Acts 5:29), but believers are generally called to demonstrate respect, obedience, and peaceful conduct.
Paul continues:
**”to speak evil of no one… showing all humility to all men.”**
The Gospel transforms not only our relationship with God but also our speech and attitudes toward others. Christians are called to reject slander, unnecessary quarrelling, and harshness, replacing them with gentleness and humility. Such humility becomes possible only when we remember our own past.
Paul therefore says:
**”For we ourselves were also once foolish.”**
The apostle deliberately includes himself. Every believer, regardless of background, was once spiritually blind, enslaved to sin, and separated from God. This remembrance guards believers against spiritual pride. We treat unbelievers with compassion because we ourselves were once in exactly the same condition apart from God’s grace.
The turning point comes with one of Scripture’s most beautiful words:
**”But…”**
**”But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared…”**
Salvation begins not with human effort but with God’s initiative. His kindness and love entered history through Jesus Christ. The incarnation reveals the compassionate heart of God reaching out to lost humanity.
Paul then gives one of the clearest statements in the New Testament concerning salvation:
**”not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.”**
Nothing could be more explicit. Human righteousness cannot earn salvation. No amount of religious activity, moral improvement, or personal achievement can remove sin. Salvation is entirely an act of divine mercy. This harmonises perfectly with Ephesians 2:8–9 and Romans 3–5, where Paul consistently teaches justification by grace through faith rather than by works.
Yet salvation is not merely a legal declaration; it also includes inward transformation. Paul describes:
**”the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”**
Regeneration refers to the new birth—the sovereign work whereby the Holy Spirit gives spiritual life to those who were spiritually dead. Jesus described this reality in John 3 when He taught Nicodemus about being “born again.” The believer becomes a new creation because God’s Spirit produces new life within.
Paul adds that the Spirit is:
**”poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.”**
This echoes Old Testament promises such as Joel 2:28–29 and Ezekiel 36:25–27, where God promised to cleanse His people and give them a new heart by His Spirit. The blessings anticipated under the New Covenant find their fulfilment through Christ.
As a result:
**”having been justified by His grace.”**
Justification refers to God’s declaration that believing sinners are righteous because of Christ’s finished work. At the same time, believers become:
**”heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”**
The Christian’s future is therefore not uncertain. Because salvation rests upon God’s grace rather than human performance, believers possess confident hope of the inheritance reserved for them in Christ.
Having so strongly emphasised grace, Paul immediately guards against misunderstanding. Grace never encourages careless living. He therefore insists:
**”those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works.”**
Notice the order. Good works do not produce salvation; salvation produces good works. Obedience becomes the fruit of grace rather than its cause. This perfectly reflects James’ teaching that genuine faith demonstrates itself through visible obedience.
Paul then warns against:
**”foolish disputes… contentions… strivings about the law.”**
Healthy churches focus upon Christ and the Gospel rather than endless controversies that produce division. While believers must defend essential truth, they should avoid arguments that generate more pride than spiritual growth.
Finally, Paul addresses divisive individuals. After patient warnings, persistent divisiveness requires decisive action for the protection of the church. Unity is precious because it reflects the unity of Christ Himself. Yet biblical unity is always founded upon truth rather than compromise.
The letter closes with another reminder:
**”let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs.”**
Christian love expresses itself practically. The Gospel that saves also sends believers into the world as servants who reflect the generosity and compassion of their Saviour. Titus 3 encourages us to: li.ve respectfully and humbly within society, – remember their own sinful past and therefore treat others with compassion, – rejoice that salvation rests entirely upon God’s mercy rather than human effort, – embrace the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in daily life, – live confidently as heirs of eternal life, – understand that genuine faith naturally produces good works, – avoid unnecessary controversies that distract from the Gospel, – protect the unity of the church through truth and love, – and joyfully meet the practical needs of others as an expression of Christ’s love.
Ultimately, Titus 3 points us to Jesus Christ, whose kindness and love appeared in history to accomplish what sinful humanity could never achieve. He saves not because we deserve it but because of His boundless mercy. Through His death and resurrection He justifies guilty sinners, through His Spirit He regenerates and renews them, and through His grace He makes them heirs of eternal life. Having been transformed by such astonishing mercy, believers are now called to display that same grace through humble lives, abundant good works, and unwavering devotion to the Gospel until the day they enter their eternal inheritance with Christ.