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 renewal of the Holy Spirit
It is not us at work in
baptism. Man can claim no righteousness as his own. It is God who does
the work in baptism. God saved us by the washing
of regeneration, and renewal of the Holy Spirit. “The washing of
regeneration, and renewal of the Holy Spirit” is a reference to baptism. This
makes perfect harmony when viewed in light of other scriptures such as John
3:3-5, Acts 2:38, Colossians 2:12, 1 Peter 3:21, and Romans 6:4-6.
The word “washing” is from the
Greek word loutron, which refers to (according to Thayer’s Lexicon) the
act of bathing and is used here in the New Testament and in other writings to
refer to baptism. The word “regeneration” is from the word palingenesis,
which is taken from two root words “born” and “again.”
Man can by no means consider
baptism a “work of righteousness.” (What is righteous about being immersed in
water?) For here, at baptism is when we “die” and are completely powerless and
are at God’s abundant mercy. This is when we completely surrender to God, so
much so, that it is considered our own death in God’s eyes. (This “death to
oneself” by no means ends when we are baptized! It continues on in daily
living—Luke 9:23-25).
Baptism is a manifestation of
faith. It is not Man who is at work in baptism; It is God.
Baptism is not a “work of righteousness.” On the contrary, if
anything, it should be considered a work of UNrighteousness.
We are baptized because we are corrupt, unrighteous and spiritually dead
in sin. This is why we are buried with HIM into DEATH as
explained in Romans 6:3-5. It is the DEAD that are buried, not the living.
As we have “died” and are
therefore buried in baptism, God, according to His mercy,
washed and renews our souls as we rise from the water.
Ourtof everything the Bible says
we are to do become a Christian, baptism is the only one that is always in the
passive voice. Faith, repentance, and confession are always commanded in the
active voice. Furthermore, Titus tells us that the washing of regeneration
(baptism) is NOT a work of righteousness, so the argument that we are not saved
by works of righteousness is true—and baptism is in no way considered a “works
of righteousness” in God’s sight. . . . If Christ’s blood was shed for us
nearly 2,000 years ago, and it is at the point of baptism we can come into
contact with the blood of Jesus. It can truly be said we are saved through
faith and grace. (Jeff McFadden, One Baptism [2006], 71, 73)
