April 8
Verse of the Day for April 8
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;Titus 3:5 KJV
The Key of Renewal · Day 8 of 30
Reflection · 3 min read
Not By Works Of Righteousness
Paul begins this passage with a description of the readers before conversion, and he includes himself in it: we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts.
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;
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.
The negative comes first and it is emphatic. Not by works of righteousness which we have done — Paul closes that door before opening the other one.
Washing and renewing sit side by side and do different jobs. Washing deals with what is on you. Renewing deals with what you are.
A person can be forgiven and unchanged, which is the condition of a great many discouraged believers who keep returning to the same failure and cannot understand why the forgiveness has not fixed it.
Paul's answer is that forgiveness was never meant to. The renewing is a separate work of the Spirit, and it is ongoing.
Washing deals with what is on you.Renewing deals with what you are.
If you are forgiven and still stuck, you are not a failed Christian. You are asking one gift to do another gift's work.
Ask for the renewing by name.
Carry this today
Are you asking forgiveness to do renewal's job?
Pray
Read Titus 3:3–7
3For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5Not 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; 6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Keep praying
Reflection by Collins Asein, from the daily devotionals in the PrayerKey app. Bible text: King James Version.