"One of them, a prophet of their own, said, 'Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.'" (Ti 1:12) Such was the forecast for Titus' work on the island of Crete. Of this gloomy report, the apostle confirmed, "This testimony is true." (Ti 1:13). As all peoples of the world, the Cretans needed to hear the message of salvation. No doubt, Titus had his hand's full.

When we consider the preaching of the message of salvation, we think of the lost. They need it, right? Of course, and preaching must be done to impart the words of life to the dying. However, the saved have just as much need to hear the message of salvation, it being a constant reminder of things past, things present, and things to come. In Titus 3, Paul command Timothy to remind the saints of certain responsibilities (v 1-2), and then shortly summarizes the message of salvation for the child of God.

WHERE WE WERE (Past)
Paul in other places establishes the same contrast between past and present (1 Co 6:9-10; Ep 2:2-3; 2 Ti 3:2-3). He speaks of the corrupt nature by which we once conducted ourselves, being "...foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another..." (v 3). By no means a good description, nonetheless, an accurate description of those outside of Christ. Paul's point is not that those in the world are like this. He says, "...we ourselves were also once..." He is reminding the child of God where we came from.

We need to leave such things behind (Ep 4:22-24; Co 3:8-10; He 12:1). The apostle Peter rightly wrote, "...we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles: when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries..." (1 Pe 4:3). All such filth was washed away by the blood of Christ, and we have the duty to keep ourselves clean from the path of these evils. The elect need to be reminded of where we came, lest we fall back into that detestable way of life. To the Corinthians, Paul expressed, "...I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults..." (2 Co 12:20). The reminder of where we came from should help us to refrain from returning there, or worse yet, bringing such conduct into the church of our Lord.

WHAT HAPPENED (Present)
A change occurred in the once sin-stained soul. Paul declares, "...the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared..." The hope of salvation was manifest to man (Ro 5:20-21; Ep 2:4-7; Ti 2:11). Though we had disqualified ourselves from the hope of heaven by our sin, the Lord made salvation possible for us through Jesus Christ. The apostle emphasizes, "...not by works of righteousness which we have done..." Indeed, not a one will earn salvation. It is the free gift that Paul declared it to be among the Ephesians. However, Paul's statement was certainly not intended to convey the idea that we have no part in our salvation. Was it not the same writer who penned, "...God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." (Ro 6:17-18)? Our salvation is not a matter of meritorious works, but is most certainly a matter of faith-instigated works. Jericho was a gift of God to Israel (Jos 6), but they received it by the working of faith (He 11:30). So it is with our salvation; it is God's gift to us, but received by the works of faith.

Notice, salvation is attained "...through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit..." Two conditions are set forth, both are equally essential. The first, "...washing of regeneration...", is no doubt speaking of baptism (Jn 3;3-5; Ep 5:26; 1 Pe 3:21). The latter, "...renewing of the Holy Spirit...", is achieved via our reading and obeying the word of truth (Ro 10:14; Eph 4:23-24; Ps 51:10; Ro 12:1-2).

WHAT'S TO COME (Future)
As a result of our response to God's kindness and love, we have the salvation of our souls. Paul uses the word "justified". We have been "...pronounced righteous...acquitted..." (Vine). When did it take place? To the Corinthians, Paul wrote, "...but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified..." (1 Co 6:11). All three happened at the point when we were baptized into Christ Jesus. We were washed of our sins; we were set apart for God's service; we were acquitted of the evil which we formerly had walked in.

Our justification has brought with it an inheritance. We are joint heirs with Christ (Ro 8:16-17; Ga 3:29). The hope of eternal life is our's (Ti 1:2; Ro 2:5-10), if we will endure to the end. Our story is one of rags to riches. From enemy of God to son and beneficiary. From a lost foreigner to a child of the eternal God. How great to be reminded of the message of salvation!

Click here for this week's Answering The Atheist
Did Jesus begin his ministry after John the Baptist was imprisoned (Mark 1:14-15, 17), or was it before John was imprisoned (John 1:28-29; 3:25-30)? Is there a contradiction?