I. Introduction

A. Illustration – Norman Vincent Peale wrote, As a little boy, awestruck by the mystery of change in a man's very nature, I asked Father to explain it. "All I can say is that it is the power of God." Then he added, "The Creator is also the recreator” (as cited on PreachingToday.com).

B. This morning we’re starting a new series on Basics of the Faith. These are timeless truths we all to understand if we’re going to fulfill the purpose God has for us – becoming like Him and helping others to do the same. We’re starting our focus by looking at what happens in us when we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and begin to live for Him. Let’s look at Titus 3:3-9, and I’m reading from the New American Standard Bible.

II. Washed Clean from the Inside Out

A. Titus 3:3-9 from the NASB – For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hating one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. 9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and useless.

B. Paul starts out this fantastic passage by reminding us where we came from. Verse three - For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hating one another. If we don’t have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, this perfectly describes us. Satan makes a fool of us, deceiving us into believing that we’re in charge of our lives. The truth is that we’re enslaved to our sins, to those lusts and pleasures that destroy us. We’ll allow ourselves to be driven apart from each other, destroying our relationships as we’re being led by Satan to our dooms. If we have a personal love relationship with Jesus Christ, that’s where we were. If we don’t have that relationship, that’s where we are.

C. Verse four - But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy. Considering what we’re like without Christ, the only way we could be saved is through kindness and mercy. God chose to save us from our sins because of His kindness and His mercy. Nothing we did or could ever do could save us. God’s love provided the kindness and mercy we need, so that His holiness would not have to destroy us.

D. Going on - by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. What exactly is regeneration? John Wesley, in his “Sermon on the New Birth,” defines regeneration as “that great change which God works in the soul when he brings into life; when He raises it from the death of sin to the life of righteousness and true holiness.” H. Orton Wiley writes, “Regeneration is the communication of life by the Spirit to a soul dead in trespasses and sins” (Introduction to Christian Theology, pg. 284). Regeneration could be defined as spiritual life from lifelessness. God’s Spirit takes us in our spiritual death and breathes His life into us. If we have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, He doesn’t just defibrillate our dead hearts – He breathes His life into them. God through Jesus Christ makes our sin-killed hearts able to receive His life and His Spirit. Regeneration enables our heart to hear His voice and follow His leading. Renewal gives us a new mind that can think His thoughts and obey His commands. Everything that sin has done to separate us from God is washed away by the power of the Holy Spirit.

E. There’s more to this part of the passage. Verse five again - He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. As the New Living puts it, He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us because of what Jesus Christ our Savior did. 7 He declared us not guilty because of his great kindness. And now we know that we will inherit eternal life. God not only regenerates and renews those who have a personal relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, He declares them not guilty of their sins. In theological terms that’s called justification. When we’re justified, not only are we declared not guilty of our sins, but He calls us acceptable in His sight and His anger with us is appeased. Out of God’s kindness, mercy and love, those who receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior get new spiritual life, new spiritual minds, are declared not guilty of sins and acceptable to God, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Sounds like a good deal to me! The grace, or unmerited favor, mercy, kindness and love give us exactly what we need exactly when we need it. We don’t have to be slaves to sin any longer. We can be free in Christ because of what His salvation has done in us! Because of what He has done for us and in us, we can know that we have eternal life because we’ve received His gift of a personal relationship with Him.

F. Why does all this matter? Verse eight - This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. Paul is reassuring us that all this is true and good and we can bank our souls on it. Because what he has written is true, we can have confidence in sharing these truths with each other and with those who don’t know Jesus. We’ve been saved and regenerated and renewed and justified so that we can help others know the transforming power of the love of God through Jesus Christ. The best thing about good news is sharing it with others, and this is the best news the world has ever heard. If we’re going to become transformed disciples of Jesus Christ and help others to become the same, we’ve got to believe this wonderful truth God has given us and run with it. We cannot afford to allow ourselves to get distracted from sharing this good news.

G. That’s why Paul wrote verse nine - But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and useless. Paul’s saying, “Don’t major in the minors, major in the majors!” There are a lot of folks in our society and even in our churches who spend an awful lot of time arguing about things that really don’t matter. There are tons of foolish controversies in Christianity today. And all this stuff is garbage that takes our focus off of what God says is most important – helping people know and understand that His love and grace and kindness and mercy have given them the opportunity to experience new life by the power of His Spirit. We’re called and commanded to become disciples and make disciples, and His grace has provided the way for that to happen. His Spirit poured out on us empowers us to do it. That’s what this wonderful passage is telling us. Will we choose to grab hold of this truth and run with it?

H. Illustration – Bill White writes, Anne Rice, whom the media has called "the Queen of the Occult," has sold millions of novels about vampires and witches. Several of them were made into films, even starring high profile actors like Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. But recently, Anne has had a change of heart—she's turned to Christ. She recently stunned her fans by declaring: "I promised from now on that I will only write for the Lord." Her November 2005 release, Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt, portrays Jesus as a 7-year-old, and she works painstakingly not to contradict Scripture anywhere in the novel. The book has gotten great early reviews and, as of October 2005, ranks #41 on Amazon.com's top sellers list even though it's not yet available. In the afterword of Christ the Lord, she summarizes what she has found in Jesus, calling him "the ultimate supernatural hero…the ultimate immortal of them all" (as cited on PreachingToday.com).

I. That’s what I call a prime example of how God can save and regenerate and renew us from the inside out by the power of the Holy Spirit. God’s love and mercy and kindness and grace make this kind of transformation possible for all of us. Will we choose to grab hold of this truth and run with it?

III. Conclusion

A. I’d like you to please bow your heads and close your eyes out of respect for each other’s privacy. My question for you today is this: Have you allowed any wrong thinking to keep you from grabbing hold of the truth that God regenerates and renews and justifies and saves you through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Have you allowed yourself to be distracted from remembering that this isn’t just a one time experience, that His regeneration and renewal and justification is a living and vital part of eternal life in Him? Do you need to ask Jesus into your heart and life as your personal Lord and Savior? Or do you need to ask Jesus to help you by the power of His Spirit to get back to your first love for Him? Let’s spend a few quiet moments thinking and praying about these questions.

B. Let’s pray together.