But After That

The Kindness of God Appeared

“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived and serving diverse lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness of God our Savior appeared” (Titus 3:3,4).

Our introductory verse reminds us of our condition prior to coming to faith. We were lost in our fallen state and unable to be free of this condition in which all unsaved men find themselves in. It was the kindness of God that brought us to Him.

This “kindness of God” is speaking of the coming of our Lord and Savior into this world to save whosoever will come to Him in repentance and faith. He accomplished this at Calvary, and by it the kindness and love of God was manifest for all to see.

Looking again to our introductory verse, the Apostle Paul is pointing back to a time in our lives when we walked in disobedience, being deceived, foolish, and enslaved to our passions. This is quite a list the Apostle Paul presents as our condition prior to Salvation, but it accurately presents the true condition of an unsaved person. We were dead in our sins and unable to free ourselves from the prison of our fallen nature that was our home. But after that, in His mercy and love, God reached down to us. We will see, in the next verse in Titus, the result of God’s kindness to those who wish to escape the prison of their fallen nature.

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His Mercy He has saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).

“Not by works of righteousness” points to the very fact that we are unable in our lost state to do any works of righteousness. The Lord came and died on the Cross for us because it was the only way that we might walk in Righteousness – His Righteousness – and imputed Righteousness made possible through the Lord’s Mercy and Grace.

This “washing of regeneration” is the born again experience by which we are washed  and cleansed from our sins by the Lord’s great sacrifice at Calvary. His Blood shed at Calvary for us not only cleanses us of all sin, but defeated the power of sin in our lives.

The “renewing of the Holy Spirit” speaks of our daily walk with the Lord. We were raised in “Newness of Life” by faith in His finished work at Calvary and the Holy Spirit now lives in us and helps us live out a life of victory enabling us to become more Christlike.

So, we are saved by the Mercy and Love of God by His Grace that comes to us as we repent of our sins and the way we lived prior to coming to the Lord and place our faith in Christ and Him crucified. We are regenerated, washed and cleansed from all sin, and the renewing power of Holy Spirit comes to live within us to bring us victory in our Christian lives as we continually place our faith in Christ and His redeeming work at Calvary. The following verse speaks of this kindness and love that made all this possible.

“Which (kindness and love) He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; that being justified by His Grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of Eternal Life” (Titus 3:6,7 with commentary mine).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2025