The Washing of Regeneration

I. Text: Titus 3:1-8

II. Transformation into a Christian

A. I love to hear my youngest sing her song about the fuzzy caterpillar that changes into a butterfly.

B. It describes someone who finds a caterpillar and puts it into a box. The caterpillar makes a cocoon and, after some time passes, emerges as a butterfly. We may watch the process unfold but we are powerless to make the physical changes that transform the caterpillar into a butterfly.

C. With the Christian, the transformation is similar.

D. We leave one state, the condition of an alien sinner, and entrust ourselves to God’s changing power. God, through His grace, transforms us into a new creation, a beautiful creation of His own design. Just as the caterpillar must spin his cocoon in which he will change, so the Christian will have to do some things that facilitate change. However, it is by God’s grace that we become a new creation.

III. Our Old Condition

A. For we ourselves were also once

B. Foolish – describes one who is clueless about the real meaning of life and has no concern for God or His rule in His life Disobedient – Will not obey all of God’s laws Deceived – Misled by false teachers or ignorance of God’s laws; failing to see the truth and following it Serving various lusts and pleasures - Neglecting God’s laws, the person indulges in the lusts of the world to find meaning or to ignore the despair of life Living in malice and envy - No love of enemies, concerned only with self one is envious of the success of others and seeks evil for them, not good

C. Hateful and hating one another - Hate, not love, fills the heart and is

D. directed at others

E. This is the sad state of the sinner without God

IV. The New Condition

A. He saved us

B. We need salvation from our sins which separated us from God1 Corinthians 15:1-3 – Christ died to save us from our sins

C. Justified us by His grace

D. We are declared righteous though we were sinners Romans 3:21-26 – Though sinners, we are justified by God’s grace Jesus sacrifice allowed us to escape the condemnation of eternal death that is the consequence of sin because He died for us. Jesus suffered the punishment of a sinner so that we sinners could be judged as if we were innocent.

E. We are heirs according to the hope of eternal life

F. 1 Peter 1:3-5 – We have an incorruptible heavenly home through Christ Romans 8:14-17 – We are joint heirs with Christ

V. Bridging the Gap

A. How were we transformed from our old condition into our new condition?

B. God bridged the gap for us through

C. Kindness and love of God

D. The very nature of God’s goodness was such that He had compassion on us and wanted to give us the eternal home we had forfeited through sin. Ephesians 1:5-9 tells us that our adoption through the eternal plan of salvation came by the good pleasure of God’s will—He wanted to do it. He was compassionate to us as one would be to an orphan in need of everything: food, shelter, clothing, love, and guidance. We were powerless to save ourselves yet God had mercy on us and took us in, cleaned us, clothed us, and nourished us.

E. Mercy

F. When we sin, we are guilty of disobedience and deserve to die eternally for we chose to separate ourselves from a loving, benevolent God. He pardoned us for our sins that we committed against Him as a president or governor would pardon a criminal of his crimes; God freed us.

G. Not by our works of righteousness

H. We did nothing to impress God or cause Him to be in our debt. Romans 5:6-8 – While we were sinners, Christ died for us Ephesians 2:4-9 – Salvation is a gift that is not earned by righteous acts Though our actions do not earn our salvation, God still requires something of us in order to be saved

I. The washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit

J. Regeneration

K. To be formed again, formed anew (Merriam-Webster) Through Christ we are reformed and re created Revelation 21:1-5 – The idea is seen in the old creation passing away and a new home being presented to the children of God2 Corinthians 5:17-19 – The idea is also seen in the change that we are discussing here in Titus 3; a new creation of God

L. Renew

M. To make like new again, to refresh (Merriam-Webster)2 Corinthians 4:16-18– Used of the renewing of our inward man as our outward person decays through age

N. Baptism is the washing of regeneration through which the Holy Spirit renews us

O. It is a new birth, John 3:1-7

P. Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again (renewal) in order to enter the kingdom of God It is a birth of water and the Spirit; a washing. Jesus brought the message of change, man must receive it and obey it in order to be saved; he must act, John 3:16-21

Q. God’s actions

R. Sent His Son to the earth Gave His Son as a sacrifice for salvation Sent the gospel message of salvation

S. Man’s response

T. Look to the Savior’s sacrifice Believe Obey the truth and work righteousness (v.20-21—people forget this)

U. It is a burial and resurrection into a new life (Romans 6:1-7)

V. We are buried and resurrected with Christ through baptism in order to have a new, regenerated life, Romans 6:1-4. Through baptism we are severed from the old life of sin and put into the new life in which Christ lives in us, Romans 6:5-7.

W. Baptism is the washing of regeneration through which the Holy Spirit renews us

X. The water and Spirit unite together in our new birth We are buried in the water and, as the Spirit raised Christ from the dead, we are raised by the Spirit into a new life

VI. God’s grace requires a response on our part

A. We are not saved by God’s grace without any further acts of obedience

B. Even those who teach that one does not need to be baptized teach that one must believe, repent of sins, and confess Christ.

C. Why do they stop so soon when baptism accomplishes all that we have studied?

D. Baptism saves us, 1 Peter 3:21 Baptism justifies us, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Baptism makes us heirs, Galatians 3:26-27

E. Consider the dual work of baptism

F. The Spirit works through baptism to renew us, to create us in Christ’s image. Through baptism we are saved, our sins are removed, and we are adopted as God’s sons.

G. What is our condition without baptism?

VII. Conclusion: What is your condition this morning? What will be your response to the grace of God which He has shown by giving His Son, sending the gospel message to you so you could be saved from your sins, and provided the avenue of belief, repentance, confession, and baptism by which you can be saved, justified, and adopted by a benevolent Father? Will you reject His call? Will you reject His divinely instructed way of renewal and regeneration choosing instead to follow the teaching of men who tell you only to believe and do nothing else—though James teaches us that faith without works is dead. What will be your response to God’s invitation?