"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 desus Christ our Saviour; That being justifted by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:4-7).
These verses reveal unto us the very essence and glory of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1). Divine intervention, "the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared" One thing is most obvious, we did not merit God's grace. We were shut out by sin, and on the fast track to destruction, deserving of God's righteous wrath (Rom. 6:23). But our sovereign God intervened and came to our rescue. He was manifested in our nature, in the flesh (Rom. 8:3; Gal. 4:4) to fulfill all righteousness and to make perfect atonement for sin (Heb. 2:17; Heb. 9:26).
2). Divine salvation, "according to his mercy he saved us." Salvation is not by what we do, but rather according to God's sovereign, and everlasting mercy (Rom. 9:11-16). No sinner can produce nor can he possess a justifying righteousness in the energy of the flesh, "not by works of righteousness which we have done (Rom. 8:8). The only reason for grace is grace (John 1:17). The Lord saves His people out of a clear, unmixed and undiluted mercy and redeeming grace and for no other reason, "by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (John 1:12-13; 2 Tim. 1:9). The new birth is not an option in salvation it is a must (John 3:3-7). The new birth is not something you do, it is something God does in you (Phil. 1:6).
3). Divine blessings, "which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour." Every spiritual blessing the believer enjoys is through, in and by the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:3). All the promises of GOd are in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 1:20). The love and kindness of God are in Christ (Rom, 8:39). The forgiveness and redemption from all sin is only found in Christ (Eph. l:7). The righteousness imputed to sinners is Christ, the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Jer. 23:5; 1 Cor. 1:30). The hope of salvation is Christ in you the hope of glory (Col. 1:27; 2 Thess. 2:16).
4). Divine results, "being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." By God's divine grace, we who by nature are children of wrath (Eph. 2:3) are now adopted into God's family and made heirs of God and joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ (1 John 3:1; Rom. 8:17; 1 Peter 1:3-4).