The Grace of God in Baptism (Titus 3:4-7)

Most Americans of a Christian persuasion believe that baptism has little to nothing to do with the grace of God. One wonders have they never read Titus 3:4-7? The truth about God’s grace and its tie in with baptism is clearly set forth in Paul’s passage to Titus which reads as follows:

"But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by his grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7 NKJV)

I would encourage the reader to compare this passage as rendered in the New King James Version just quoted with its rendering in other reliable translations such as the English Standard Version and the New American Standard Version. It would also be good to read it from the New International Version. It is always good to read a passage from more than one translation to make sure you understand what it says.

What does the passage teach? It teaches what it says. We are saved by God’s mercy and we are justified by his grace which is one and the same thing. To be saved is to be justified. But, let us be honest - is that all the passage says and teaches? No!

It teaches when God saves us by his mercy or grace, whichever term you wish to use, he uses means to do so. What means? Well, what does the text say? It says, "through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." The washing of regeneration is baptism.

The word "regenerate" is a word that means, according to my little paperback Merriam Webster Dictionary, "1 : formed or created again 2 : spiritually reborn or converted". Since that is its meaning the New International Version phrases it, "the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit."

One who knows the scriptures immediately calls to mind other scriptures that teach the same thing. Jesus says, "unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3 NKJV) He says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (John 3:5 NKJV) Paul teaches in Titus 3:4 what Jesus taught in John 3:5.

The word washed or washing is in places used as a reference to baptism. Paul says to the Corinthians, after listing a group of sins, "And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God." (1 Cor. 6:11 NKJV) How were they justified? Read Titus 3:4-7 again and you will be told if you read carefully.

How did Jesus cleanse the church at Ephesus? "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word." (Eph. 5:26 NKJV) The washing is done with water. It is baptism. Ananias told Saul, soon to be Paul, "’And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’" The washing was done in baptism.

The writer of the book of Hebrews encourages Christians in saying, "let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and (now watch it - DS) our bodies washed with pure water." (Heb. 10:22 NKJV) The washing is with water; the washing is baptism.

Now back to our original text in Titus - Titus 3:4-7. Certainly, Paul teaches we are saved by God’s mercy, by his grace, for he very clearly states that but if we will be honest he just as clearly states that he saves by grace using means and that means is "the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." The English Standard Version says not "he saved us through the washing of regeneration … " (NKJV) but "by the washing of regeneration …" (Titus 3:5 ESV) as does the New American Standard Version.

When does God’s grace save? How does it save? Paul tells us in Titus but people would rather rely on their traditional interpretations than on plain statements of scripture and as long as that is the case little can be done. Part of the problem is when people think of grace they too often have in their mind one thing only - the saving act of God that brings salvation. The idea is that salvation is all of God’s doing and absolutely none of our doing. Where this idea came from I have no idea as my mind cannot read the Bible and conjure up any such line of reasoning.

Noah found grace in God’s eyes (Gen. 6:8) and was saved from drowning in the flood but Noah had something to do on his part to be saved. There was an ark to be built. Was Noah saved by works? Just because God gives man something to do in order to be saved does not make that thing required of him a work that merits (or earns) salvation. Noah may have had to of built the ark to be saved (because God required it) but it was not tar and wood built in the form of a ship by hard work that saved him. Surely, we can see that. It was the grace of God that built the ark, then floated it, kept it from sinking, and then finally brought it safely to rest.

If you can ever find a passage in the Bible, Old Testament or New Testament, which teaches or shows that any man ever was saved or could be saved by works apart from God’s grace please forward the passage to me. The fact God gives you something to do to be saved does not mean that by complying with that act you no longer need God for you have worked (earned) your way to heaven.

Paul says in Titus that we are saved "not by works of righteousness which we have done" (Titus 3:5 NKJV) and yet in the very same verse says it is "by the washing of regeneration …" (Titus 3:5 ESV). Anyone who can add two plus two and come up with four can clearly see then that in God’s eyes baptism is not a work of righteousness which we have done that merits salvation by works and yet that is one of the arguments men make time and time and time again against baptism. They say baptism is salvation by works and they thus contradict Paul in Titus. Who you going to believe? I know whom I believe.

Baptism is as much a part of God’s grace for us today as was God’s warning to Noah and his instructions to him to build an ark for the saving of his household. "By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith." (Heb. 11:7 ESV) Noah had found grace in God’s eyes. (Gen. 6:8)

Now let us say I want to become "an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith" just as Noah did. Do you suppose there is anything for me to do? How about the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit? Just as God’s grace led Noah to build an ark because of God’s word God’s grace should lead us to be baptized because of God’s word. In fact, the word of God is referred to twice in the New Testament as "the word of his grace." (Acts 14:3 and Acts 20:32) There is a reason for calling his word that. Grace is found in God’s words of instruction for man. God was under no obligation to save Noah or to save you or me. He was under no obligation to tell Noah what he needed to do to be saved and he was under no obligation to you and me to tell us the way of salvation.

I hope you did take special note in your reading of the passage in Titus that it says "he saved us." (Titus 3:5 NKJV) When we submit to baptism it is not us saving ourselves on our own power or by our own works. Any man who thinks he is going to save himself on his own power and thus feels he does not need God is a fool plain and simple. Noah built the ark but he most certainly did not save himself apart from God. You and I are baptized but that does not mean we saved ourselves apart from God. It would take a fool to believe that.

One of the things I do is a little substitute teaching in a high school of about 1100 to 1200 students. The other day I was subbing in a World History class and was thumbing through the textbook while the kids were otherwise occupied. I was a social studies major in college and enjoy history. Quite by chance one of the pages that opened up had a few paragraphs dealing with Christianity. I was amazed to find the following statement that I am going to quote here: "Christians believed that through the rite of baptism their sins were forgiven by the grace of God."

The quote was taken from the textbook "World History" by Prentice Hall written by Elisabeth Gaynor Ellis and Anthony Esler, page 170, for high school classes. The year is 2010 (put in for future reference in years to come as others may read this article down the road). Reference was to the time of the establishment of the church in the first century. That is all I have taught in this article and that is what Paul taught in Titus to all who will open their eyes just a little bit.

With that I am going to bring this article to a close. I have taught the truth for I only told you what Paul said in Titus. He said it; I repeated it. "Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding." (Prov. 23:23 NKJV)

(If the reader should wonder why I did not discuss the latter half of the passage in Titus relating to the "renewing by the Holy Spirit" the answer is because men do not dispute that part of the passage. That is not where the battle rages. We all agree the renewing of the Holy Spirit is essential.)