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Christmas Season · Nativity of the Lord - Christmas Dawn · Year B

Titus 3:4-7

Doing What is Good

The Baptism of Christ, Nicolas Poussin
The Baptism of Christ, Nicolas Poussin, 1641National Gallery of Art, Washington
The moment at the river, with the whole group of onlookers arranged along the bank like a frieze.He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.Nicolas PoussinPoussin, who composed even a baptism as carefully as a piece of architecture.National Gallery of Art, WashingtonThe National Gallery of Art, Washington.National Gallery of Art, Washington

Overview & Insights

“He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5)

After a brief exhortation to Titus (2:15) to “teach these things” (at least 2:1–14), Paul returns in this section to the major concern of the letter—“good works” (i.e., genuinely Christian behavior) for the sake of the outsider (3:1–8) and in contrast to the false teachers (3:9–11).

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Take it further: Titus 3:4-7

Commentary

Background & Word Study

The Church Fathers

Questions preachers ask

What is the good news of Titus 3?

When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us not because of our works but according to his mercy, that we might become heirs of eternal life.

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