Titus 3:1-15

3:1-2 | Gentleness, humility, a peaceable and submissive spirit – all these virtues are needed, not just in relationship to rulers and authorities (1 Pet. 2:13) but in all of Christian’s interactions with others. If these qualities can be found anywhere, it should be in God’s people.

3:4-7 | In this section, Paul presents a number of images demonstrating God’s provision of salvation through Christ: washing (purity and cleansing), regeneration and renewing (a new birth), justified (being declared righteous), heirs (receiving an inheritance), and hope (a certain future). Salvation motivates and empowers people to live godly lives.

3:5-6 | Salvation depends on God’s mercy, not our good deeds. All three members of the Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – are active in this work. The washing of regeneration is a metaphor for spiritual cleansing through the Holy Spirit (Ezek.36:26; 1 Cor. 6:11; Eph. 2:4-9). This is symbolized by baptism.

3:7 | Christians have already been justified (declared righteous or not guilty) by Christ’s sacrifice for sin (Rom. 3:24; Gal. 2:16; Phil. 3:8-9), and one day they will be glorified, realizing righteousness as heirs of eternal life (John 3:3; Rom. 8:16-25). In the OT, heirs referred to Israel’s inheritance of the Promised Land.

3:8 | The faithful saying probably refers to the truths in the preceding four verse, which are one long sentence in the Greek NT.

3:9-11 | The false teachers based their heresies on genealogies and speculation about the law of Moses (1 Tim. 1:3-4; 2 Tim. 2:2-3). Paul’s instructions were to correct them twice in hopes of repentance, and then to exclude them from fellowship if they refuse. This probably reflects Jesus’ instructions in Matthew 18:15-17. The command to reject false teachers shows how seriously Paul treated dissension in the church. Self-condemned means that they know the truth yet willfully persist ins sin.

3:14 | That Christians should not be unfruitful may be a response to the Roman accusation that Christians were “unproductive.” Maintaining (continuing in) good works and meeting urgent needs are important ways for Christians to be fruitful (Col. 1:10). A believer’s actions are a badge of faith to the watching world, bearing witness to Christ’s transforming work in his or her life.