FULL SALVATION

Titus 3:3-7

Morning Meditation 1/17/2014

"For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 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; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

It is easy to say that there is fulness of water in the ocean, fulness of wealth in the earth, and fulness of light in the sun; but can the richness of this fulness be reckoned up? So there is fulness of salvation in the grace of God, but that fulness can only be realized in the ages of the ages. In the above Scripture we see what might be termed seven steps into a full salvation. First let's look at,

AN HONEST CONFESSION

"We ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, and slaves of sin" (vs 3). Someone has said, "Confession is the opening of the windows of the heart to the light of Heaven: an acknowledgment before God of our guilt and need of His mercy." This is also brought in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." God never goes back on a promise when the sinner comes in repentance asking for forgiveness. Next we see,

A DIVINE REVELATION

Titus 3:4, "But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared." This is a Divine revelation. God could say, "I love you," but it would be meaningless unless there were acts to prove it. God demonstrated His kindness, His love, as the Saviour of man in that He sent His Son to reveal His heart, and to open the door to eternal salvation.

1 John 4:9-10, "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." The word "propitiation" is translated in Hebrews as "mercy seat." This is the place where man can meet with God and have communion with Him, receive forgiveness and become a joint-heir with Jesus. Someone hold my mules!!! This is not man's invention but his discovery of God's revelation. Next we see,

A COMPLETE JUSTIFICATION

Titus 3:7 says, "That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Justification is by grace because there is no other way for man to be saved. Man is a bankrupt sinner in need of grace if he is ever to enjoy God's fellowship forever. Justification takes in a guilty sinner and grace washes him and fixes him for fellowship with God. Man could never have accomplished this by works. Grace is what God is free to do for man because of the Cross. When God justifies the believer in Jesus it is an evidence that his forgiveness has been full and complete. Next we see,

AN ENTIRE REGENERATION

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;"

Suppose it were possible (it is not) to be justified from all sin, and yet not be changed in heart, or made a new creature. How soon this justified one would be like the sow that was washed returning again to the mire. 2 Peter 2:22 says, "But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."

When God saves us He creates within us a new man that is of His own nature. 2 Peter 1:4 says, "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." Next let's look at,

A DAILY RENOVATION

To meet this need there is "the renewing of the Holy Ghost which He shed on us abundantly." Titus 3:5-7, "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; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." It is washing of regeneration, it is the renewing of the Holy Ghost, It is justification by his grace, it is being made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The one who is in possession of this is being renovated daily by these truths. Next let's look at,

AN ETERNAL POSSESSION

Titus 3:7 says, "That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." The words, "that being justified by His grace," translates the verb dikaioo and is a "first aorist passive participle." The aorist tense goes back to the place in time where conversion took place. The passive voice means that this justification was bestowed upon them by another, i.e., they did not secure it by their own effort. God is the Actor in salvation man is the receiver. This is what the passive voice means. The words "according to the hope of eternal life" refers to the joyful anticipation of the reality. Hope is not a weak word, it is as sure as God in His immutability has promised the believer.

May the Lord bless us with these words.

In Christ

Bro. White