Bible Truth #162 - Titus 3:3-5

Titus 3:3-5

3  At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

4  But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,

5  he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

I sent a few more verses for context but it is verse 5 upon which I want to focus.

He saved us, not because of righteous things we have done, but because of His mercy. Will the man who believes in free will now tell me that “praying to accept Jesus” is not a righteous act? And this is assuming the Arminian premise of “A lost man can accept things from the Holy Spirit, understand things from the Holy Spirit, come into the Light, and please God.” All of which are disproved by Scripture. (1 Corinthians 2:14, John 8:43, John 3:20, Romans 8:8)

So verse 5 above clearly says that even IF a lost man can do a “righteous thing,” he wasn’t saved because of it. He was saved because of God’s mercy and God’s action upon us first. (Philippians 1:6, Bible Truth #99)

Is there ANY Holy Scripture more clear than verse 5? Well, yes. But one at a time...

We become children of God NOT by human decision. (John 1:13)