SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:5
no por obras de justicia que nosotros habíamos hecho, sino por su misericordia, nos salv por el lavamiento de la regeneracin, y de la renovacin del Espíritu Santo;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Titus 3:5
Verse 5. Not by works of righteousness] Those who were foolish, disobedient, and deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, could not possibly have works of righteousness to plead; therefore, if saved at all, they must be saved by mercy. See the note on Eph. ii. 8; and see a discourse entitled, Salvation by Faith proved, 8vo., 1816, in which I have examined every system invented by man for his restoration to the Divine favour and image: and have demonstrated, by mere reason, their utter insufficiency to answer the end for which they have been invented; and have proved that the doctrine of salvation by faith is the only rational way of salvation. By the washing of regeneration] dia loutrou paliggenesiav? Undoubtedly the apostle here means baptism, the rite by which persons were admitted into the Church, and the visible sign of the cleansing, purifying influences of the Holy Spirit, which the apostle immediately subjoins. Baptism is only a sign, and therefore should never be separated from the thing signified; but it is a rite commanded by God himself, and therefore the thing signified should never be expected without it.
By the renewing of the Holy Ghost we are to understand, not only the profession of being bound to live a new life, but the grace that renews the heart, and enables us thus to live; so the renewing influences are here intended. Baptism changes nothing; the grace signified by it cleanses and purifies. They who think baptism to be regeneration, neither know the Scriptures nor the power of God; therefore they do greatly err.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done , etc.] The great instance of the kindness and love of God our Saviour is salvation; which the apostle denies that it is brought about by any works, even the best works of men; for works of righteousness are works done according to a righteous law, and in obedience to it; and in a righteous manner, from right principles of grace, in faith, and with a view to the glory of God; or otherwise they are not righteous actions, or works of righteousness; wherefore not works before, but after conversion, are here meant; for works before conversion are not properly works of righteousness: besides, these are such which we have done, who formerly were as before described, but now are regenerated and renewed by the Holy Ghost, and created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Now salvation, neither in whole, nor in part, is by these, either as causes; conditions, or means; (see Gill on 2 Timothy 1:9); hqdx y[m , works of righteousness, is a Jewish phrase used for righteous or good works f25 but according to his mercy he saved us ; the mercy of God is natural and essential to him, but the actings and exercise of it, towards this or the other objects, are sovereign and free, and according to his will; the effects of it are many, he is rich and abundant in it; and they are channelled in, and flow forth through the blood and righteousness of Christ; and this is the moving cause of salvation: this moved God to make a covenant with his Son, the blessings of which are the sure mercies of David, and in which God is merciful to the sins and unrighteousnesses of his people; it is owing to the tender mercy of God, that Christ, the dayspring from on high, has visited the earth; and the glory of it is very conspicuous in the affair of redemption by him; the pardon of sin is according to the multitude of God's tender mercies; and regeneration springs from the abundance of it; and even eternal life is the effect of it. Now according to this, God has saved his people; salvation is not only a thing determined, and resolved on in the mind of God, but is actually and completely accomplished by Jesus Christ, and an application of it is made to the saints in effectual calling; and because of the certain enjoyment of the whole of it, even eternal glory, the saints are said to be saved already; as they are also in faith and hope, as well as in Christ, their head and representative; (see Gill on Ephesians 2:8). It follows, as the means of salvation, by the washing of regeneration , and renewing of the Holy Ghost; by the former is meant, not the ordinance of water baptism; for that is never expressed by washing, nor is it the cause or means of regeneration; the cause being the Spirit of God, and the means the word of God: and besides, persons ought to be regenerated before they are baptized; and they may be baptized, and yet not regenerated, as Simon Magus; nor is it a saving ordinance, or a point of salvation; nor can it be opposed to works of righteousness, as this washing is; for that itself is a work of righteousness; (see Matthew 3:15) and if persons were saved by that, they would be saved by a work of righteousness, contrary to the text itself: but regenerating grace is meant, or a being born of water, and of the Spirit; that is, of the grace of the Spirit, comparable to water for its purity and cleansing virtue: hence such who are regenerated and sanctified, are said to be washed and cleansed, having their hearts purified by faith, and their consciences purged from sin by the blood of Christ: by the latter, the renewing of the Holy Ghost , is meant either the fruit and effect of the former, even newness of life and conversation, under the influence of the Holy Spirit; or else the gradual increase and progress of the work of grace upon the soul, renewed day by day in the spirit of the mind, by the Holy Ghost; or rather it means the same thing with regeneration, and is added partly as explanative of the washing of regeneration, showing that that is no other than the new creature, the new man, the new heart, and new spirit, formed in the soul, in the effectual calling; and partly to observe that the Holy Ghost is the author of it. Now it is in this way God saves his people, namely, by regenerating and renewing them; in this is the first appearance and discovery of the love of God to them; this is their open passage into a state of grace, and without this there is no entrance into glory; this is the foundation of all grace and good works, and by which saints appear to be heirs of the heavenly inheritance.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-7 - Spiritual privileges do not make void or weaken, but confirm civi duties. Mere good words and good meanings are not enough without goo works. They were not to be quarrelsome, but to show meekness on all occasions, not toward friends only, but to all men, though with wisdom Jas 3:13. And let this text teach us how wrong it is for a Christian to be churlish to the worst, weakest, and most abject. The servants of sin have many masters, their lusts hurry them different ways; prid commands one thing, covetousness another. Thus they are hateful deserving to be hated. It is the misery of sinners, that they hate on another; and it is the duty and happiness of saints to love on another. And we are delivered out of our miserable condition, only by the mercy and free grace of God, the merit and sufferings of Christ and the working of his Spirit. God the Father is God our Saviour. He is the fountain from which the Holy Spirit flows, to teach, regenerate and save his fallen creatures; and this blessing comes to mankin through Christ. The spring and rise of it, is the kindness and love of God to man. Love and grace have, through the Spirit, great power to change and turn the heart to God. Works must be in the saved, but ar not among the causes of their salvation. A new principle of grace an holiness is wrought, which sways, and governs, and makes the man a ne creature. Most pretend they would have heaven at last, yet they car not for holiness now; they would have the end without the beginning Here is the outward sign and seal thereof in baptism, called therefor the washing of regeneration. The work is inward and spiritual; this in outwardly signified and sealed in this ordinance. Slight not thi outward sign and seal; yet rest not in the outward washing, but look to the answer of a good conscience, without which the outward washing wil avail nothing. The worker therein is the Spirit of God; it is the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Through him we mortify sin, perform duty walk in God's ways; all the working of the Divine life in us, and the fruits of righteousness without, are through this blessed and holy Spirit. The Spirit and his saving gifts and graces, come throug Christ, as a Saviour, whose undertaking and work are to bring to grac and glory. Justification, in the gospel sense, is the free forgivenes of a sinner; accepting him as righteous through the righteousness of Christ received by faith. God, in justifying a sinner in the way of the gospel, is gracious to him, yet just to himself and his law. A forgiveness is through a perfect righteousness, and satisfaction is made to justice by Christ, it cannot be merited by the sinner himself Eternal life is set before us in the promise; the Spirit works faith in us, and hope of that life; faith and hope bring it near, and fill with joy in expectation of it.
Greek Textus Receptus
ουκ 3756 εξ 1537 εργων 2041 των 3588 εν 1722 δικαιοσυνη 1343 ων 3739 εποιησαμεν 4160 5656 ημεις 2249 αλλα 235 κατα 2596 τον 3588 αυτου 846 ελεον 1656 εσωσεν 4982 5656 ημας 2248 δια 1223 λουτρου 3067 παλιγγενεσιας 3824 και 2532 ανακαινωσεως 342 πνευματος 4151 αγιου 40
Vincent's NT Word Studies
5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done (ouk ex ergwn twn en dikaiosunh a epoihsamen). Lit. not by works, those namely in righteousness, which we did. The thought is entirely Pauline. Ex ergwn strictly, out of, in consequence of works. En dikaiosunh in the sphere of righteousness; as legally righteous men. Comp. Eph. ii. 9. We did emphatic. Comp. Rom. x. 5; Gal. iii. 10, 12; v. 3.
According to his mercy (kata to autou eleov). The phrase only 1 Peter i. 3. Comp. Rom. xv. 9; Eph. ii. 4; Jude 21.
By the washing of regeneration (dia loutrou palingenesiav).
Loutron only here and Eph. v. 26. It does not mean the act of bathing, but the bath, the laver. Palingenesia only here and Matthew xix. . 28, where it is used of the final restoration of all things. The phrase laver of regeneration distinctly refers to baptism, in connection with which and through which as a medium regeneration is conceived as taking place. Comp. Rom. vi. 3-5. It is true that nothing is said of faith; but baptism implies faith on the part of its recipient. It has no regenerating effect apart from faith; and the renewing of the Holy Spirit is not bestowed if faith be wanting.
Renewing (anakainwsewv). Only here and Rom. xii. 2. Comp. 2 Corinthians v. 7. Paul has ajnakainoun to renew, 2 Cor. iv. 16; Col. iii. 10: ajnakainwsiv renewing, Rom. xii. 2. Anakainizein to renew, only Heb. vi. 6. The connection of the genitive is disputed. Some make it dependent on loutrou bath, so that the bath of baptism is conceived as implying regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Others construe with renewing only, ajnakainwsewv being dependent on dia; through the laver of regeneration and (through) the renewing, etc. The former seems the more probable. The phrase renewing of the Holy Spirit only here. In N.T. the Spirit or the Holy Spirit is joined in the genitive with the following words: comfort, joy, power, love, demonstration, manifestation, earnest, ministration, fellowship, promise, fruit, unity, sword, sanctification.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:5 {Done} (not in the Greek, only the article twn), "not as a result of works those in righteousness which we did." Same idea as in #Ro 3:20f. {According to his mercy he saved us} (kata to autou eleos es"sen). See #Ps 109:26; 1Pe 1:3; Eph 2:4. Effective aorist active indicative of swzw. {Through the washing of regeneration} (dia loutrou palingenesias). Late and common word with the Stoics (Dibelius) and in the Mystery-religions (Angus), also in the papyri and Philo. Only twice in the N.T. (#Mt 19:28 with which compare apokatastasia in #Ac 3:21, and here in personal sense of new birth). For loutron, see #Eph 5:26, here as there the laver or the bath. Probably in both cases there is a reference to baptism, but, as in #Ro 6:3-6, the immersion is the picture or the symbol of the new birth, not the means of securing it. {And renewing of the Holy Spirit} (kai anakain"se"s pneumatos hagiou). "And renewal by the Holy Spirit" (subjective genitive). For the late word anakainwsis, see #Ro 12:2. Here, as often, Paul has put the objective symbol before the reality. The Holy Spirit does the renewing, man submits to the baptism after the new birth to picture it forth to men.
