The mercy of God.
"According to his mercy he saved us." Mercy is the key-note of redemption. It is the music of the Psalms; the spirit of Christ's ministry, and the motive of the atonement. It is the very heart of God—as permanent as his justice and his righteousness; "for his mercy endureth forever."
I. SALVATION IS NOT A SUPERSTRUCTURE OF MAN'S. "Not according to works of righteousness which we have done." Good actions do not make a good man; it is the good man that makes the good actions. If man is to be saved, he must have new life from within. Mercy meets his case. God's pity and compassion are seen in this. He gives the new heart that makes the new life, and so he saves us from self and sin.
II. SALVATION IS A DUAL WORRY. This is" the washing of regeneration," the redemption that comes to the heart through the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness. But the removal of the stain of sin is not all. The heart, however clean, is not to be a blank. A new likeness is to be brought out. So there is to be the "renewing of the Holy Ghost." We are made new creatures in Christ Jesus. God's likeness comes out again in the soul. We are made holy with God's holiness, and beautiful with God's beauty.—W.M.S.
Christian character.
"To maintain good works." This is a repeated counsel, and shows how much need there was of showing that the "belief" spoken of in the eighth verse should not be a mere speculative creed. This Titus is to "affirm constantly," showing that there were those then who had a tendency to antinomianism, or neglect of the Law of moral order and beauty.
I. PERMANENCE. "Maintain." Men weary of their efforts after the attainment of a Divine ideal. Holiness is not a gift, it is a growth; and a growth, not like that of a plant, which is unconscious, but a growth that involves obedience. Maintain "works"—give them continuance, by aliment and nurture.
II. COMPREHENSIVENESS. "Works." For life covers a large sphere. We are apt to forget that Christianity covers all spheres—the civil, social, moral, spiritual. For ages the Church was merely ecclesiastical. "The religious" were such as shut themselves out from the world, deeming its pursuits and duties below the dignity of a spiritual religion, which made the soul and its feelings and devotions everything. Now we have moved into a wider inheritance; we believe in the Christianization of common life; the consecration of art and science and common duty to Christian ends. We are simply to ask if the work given us to do is a good work, and we are to be earnest in "every good work." And we have seen that the tree must first be made good; for it is "the good man that, out of the good treasure of his heart, brings forth good things."—W.M.S.
HOMILIES BY D. THOMAS