The Pulpit Commentary — Titus — Section 47

manifest,atwn. The expression implies a definite point of time. It was" the fulness of the time" (Gal. iv. 4). (1) It Willi tho period fixed in the Divine purpose from eternity. (2) lt was the time of the probation of the Jews, ending in the most awful series of judgments that ever befell a people. (3) It was a time when the Oreek tongne and the Roman arms made a highway for the gospel. (4) It was a time when pauan thought bad exhausted every experiment in the art of living, to find that all ;as "vanity and "exation of spirit." (5) Yet it is not impliPd that the manifestation of Divine kindness had not been enjoyed already in pre-Christia11 ages; for it was in virtue of this manifestation, in the fulness of times, that God's love flowed forth in blessing during Jewish ages. 2. The nature of thi,s manifestatioo. (1) It was a manifestation of kindness and love to mau. (a) Kindness is the more genera.I term, unlimited, undefined, all-embracing, touching the whole creation. (b) Love to man is his special and distinguishing love to the children of men as distinct from angels. (2) It was the love of the Father-" our Saviour-God." (a) The title" Saviour," ~o often given to the don, is here given to the Father, because he is the Fountain from whence flow a.II the streams of Di,·ine mercy. The Son is" the Unspeakable of the Father;" for he "so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son" (John iii. 16). The atone- ment was not, therefore, the cause, but the effect, of the Father's love. (b) This fact, exhibiting the mine of power and love in the Crea.tor, greatly enhances the certainty and glory of redemption. (c) It is our Father who is our Saviour. Mark the clear relationship, in spite of all our wa)·wardness and siu. II. 'l'HE METHOD OF THIS DIVINE MAND'ESTATlON. "Not by works of righteousness we did, but according to his mercy he saved us." The Divine g00dness and love were manifested in salvation. "He saved us." This salvation, procured hy the obedience and death of Christ, has its origin, not in works of righteousness done by man, as ,•ntitlin2 him to it, but solely in Divine mercy. Mark the conditions and the means .,f this salvation. 1. The conditions ef salvation. (1) Not by works of righteousness. (a) "'e are Dot saved by our own works, even though thl'Y should be done in obedience to a rigb1eous law (Rom. iii. 20; Gal. ii. 16; Epb. ii. 4, 8, 1:1; 2 Tim. i. 1, 9). (b) If we were saved in this way, Christ should have died in vain (Gal. ii. 21). His death would have been quite unneceBS&ry. (c) Experience proves the impossibility of our heing able to do the works of perfect righteousness (Rom. iii. 23). (2) The condition .,f salvation is Divioe mercy. "According to bis mercy." (a) God is rich in mercy (Eph. ii. 4). (b) It streams forth from the blood and righteousness of Christ (Rom. iii. 24, 25; vi. 23). (c) It was through the tender mercy of God that Christ, as the Dayspring from on high. visited the earth (Luke i. 78). (d) The pardon of sin is according to the multitude of bis tender mercies (Ps. li. 1, 2). (e) Eternal life is the effect of God's mercy. 2. The meanB of salvatwn. "By the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he poured on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour." The Greek word is" !aver," as if to show that the reference is to haptism.. (1) The washing of re.generation refers to the beginning of .the spiritual process in the sonl, as it is the Spirit who regenerates the soul. There is nothing in the passage to support the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. (a) The connection of baptism with regeneration no more proves that all the baptized are regenerated than the expression, "we are sanctified by the truth," implieF that the truth in all cases has this effect, or that "the gospel of your salvation" implies that salvation always follows the hearing of the gospel (b) As a matter of fact, believers in apostolic times were regenerated before they were baptized ; therefore they were not regenerated by bapti9m. This was the case with the three thousand at Pentecost (Acts ii.), with Lydia and the Philippian ja.ilor (Acts xvi.). (c) There is no necessary connection between baptism and regeneration, for Simon Magus was baptized without being regenerated (Acts viii. 9-24). (d) It is strange that, much a..s John speaks of regene- ration in his First Epistle, he never connoots baptism with it. He says that those who ue "born of God" do righteousness, and overcome the world. Why should he mention r.aeae teats at all, when he might have known that, had they been baptized, they must t•MVA been reuenerated? (e) The Apostle Peter shows us the meaning of bapti11-m when 1 ;:;: aays that~. baptism doth now save us" (1 Pet, iii. 21). How? "Not by putting ll.way· the filth of the flesh "-which is ea.Hily clone bv the external application of water -~ but the answer uf a good conscie::icP- toward Go~·· ae if to show that such an answer, CB, DI, 1-16.] THE EPISTLE TO TITUS. 51