TITUS 3:3-5, C. H. Cayce, “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.”
This describes the condition of these characters in nature without the work of Christ in salvation. This is the true condition of all in nature. Verses 4, 5, 6 and 7, read, “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
This is a clear and positive statement that they are not saved by works of righteousness which they do. Their salvation from the deplorable state described in verse 3 was wholly the work of God, and was simply and purely of His mercy. This was, and is, all bestowed upon the sinner through what Christ has done for him. He is regenerated, born again, born from above, by the power of the Holy Ghost— not because of the righteous works of the sinner, for it is altogether through what Christ has done for him. Hence, the sinner is justified by grace. This justification makes him an heir of God, and is according to the hope of eternal life. The true hope of eternal life is based solely on what the Lord has done for poor sinners, and not on what he expects to do or has done. 1 Cor. 6:11 expresses the same idea: “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
The washing, cleansing, and regenerating of the sinner is the work of the Spirit of God. God does that for the sinner which qualifies him to live in and enjoy heaven, and this is all of grace. The Primitive Baptist, 1909.