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PURIFICATION (2)

JT It is thought that consideration of the persons and the circumstances in the scriptures we have looked into and are going to look into now and later will give help as to the understanding of them. We have had Nicodemus before us, also Nathanael. These persons are presented in the Scriptures regarding the truth before us; that is, new birth. And we should also remark that John’s writings were before us this morning, John’s gospel in which our subject is particularly found. Now we have Paul and Titus and the Cretans, the inhabitants of Crete. These later circumstances direct our minds to a somewhat lower state of human society as seen identified with them. Timothy is seen identified with what we may call the upper classes at Ephesus, presenting the higher features of the truth. He was left, we are told, at Ephesus. And our subject was touched on in that connection as pointing out that instead of new birth Paul referred to the reception of the Spirit. Instead of the operations of the Spirit, he referred to the Spirit Himself, the gift of God to be received. The truth in that way becomes somewhat elucidated for us, if our minds are involved in the ministry as the subjects also of the ministry. In Titus, however, we have the lower strata of humanity with a peculiar characteristic, for they are said to be always liars: “Cretans are always liars, evil wild beasts, lazy gluttons”. And in connection with this statement we have, “All things are pure to the pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure”. Their minds and consciences are defiled. Then we have to discriminate, as we were saying this morning, with regard to the characteristics of the persons that we have to deal with, in seeking to serve.

^[p. 191] The need of purification is especially in mind in the epistle to Titus, for his ministry tells us in chapter 3 what we might call the modus operandi of salvation “But when the kindness and love to man of our Saviour God appeared, not on the principle of works which have been ^[p. 203] done in righteousness which we had done, but according to his own mercy he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour”; for the gospel is in mind in the epistle, the whole thoughts of the gospel. Full thoughts are in mind. No question now of new birth but of what is needed for salvation. So what lies alongside the truth of salvation which is in mind, is the idea of eternal life, as an adjunct to what we are saved by. It involves eternal life, not that eternal life is presented here in the epistle as we hope to look into in the next reading, in what it is in itself essentially, but as part of the gospel. And it is therefore the elements of the glad tidings which are in mind in Titus. So it is said, “But when the kindness and love to man of our Saviour God appeared, not on the principle of works which have been done in righteousness which we had done, but according to his own mercy he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that, having been justified by his grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life”. So that in reading these sections the hope is that we may learn, in what may come before us, the truth of the gospel involving the need of purification and purity.

Ques Verse 13 reads, “This testimony is true”. Is that the thought in relation to teaching how conditions are such as needing this line of ministry?

JT The testimony he alludes to is what a prophet of their own said: “Cretans are always liars, evil wild beasts, lazy gluttons”. So that evidently in seeking to ^[p. 192] serve men, we have got to pay attention to what is public historically and what characterises them in their various sections. For instance, the Cretans are said to be liars here. The Galatians were fickle, uncertain, changeable. The Corinthians, on the other hand, were loose and worldly, instructed people but using their intelligence to penetrate the depths of wickedness. So that we have to learn as in the world what the world affords in the way of information, what history affords in the way of people, that the gospel meets every condition, but each condition has been located and observed.

SMcC In line with what you are saying it is important to have a right judgment of things where we are, understanding the conditions that prevail, taking account of them and seeking to be saved from them. Do you have that in mind?

JT Yes, I thought of that. For instance, this city is a great industrial city. We have in Acts 4: 27 the idea of “this city”, whatever it may be, the one we are in, for instance, whatever the characteristics are, because we have to meet them, not only in the preaching of the gospel but in the ministry of the truth regularly amongst ourselves, because we have these conditions to contend with.

HB Is that seen in the Acts in relation to the Bereans? “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, receiving the word with all readiness of mind, daily searching the scriptures if these things were so”, Acts 17: 11.

JT Yes, very good. What is to be particularly kept in mind is the gospel, which Titus was to keep in mind too. In the chapter we had in John this morning we sought to confine it to just the facts presented, as to what the Lord calls “earthly things”. He had in mind, however, to speak of heavenly things and to leave Nicodemus. He is part of the personnel, no doubt, but is left. The Lord launches out to ^[p. 193] wider territory in the reference to Numbers 21, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, thus must the Son of man be lifted up, that every one who believes on him may not perish, but have life eternal”. That is, He goes along and leaves Nicodemus, and proceeds into the full truth of eternal life; we find the same thing in this epistle. We find eternal life. “Paul, bondman of God, and apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God’s elect, and knowledge of the truth which is according to piety; in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the ages of time, but has manifested in its own due season his word, in the proclamation with which I have been entrusted, according to the commandment of our Saviour God”, Titus 1: 1 - 3. Now then there are these verses in chapter 3, “Having been justified by his grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life”. Now it seems to me that we should clearly have in mind the distinction that is to be made between this epistle and John 3. They are linked together very closely, but in John 3 the Lord confines Himself after new birth to the subject of eternal life and its fulness in the gift of eternal life, that God so loved that He gave it. Whereas here eternal life is to augment the great truth of the gospel generally, of what is needed at Crete for salvation to these people that are characterised, as we have already seen, with the lying disposition and other features that go with that, sort of underworld conditions, the conditions of large cities such as this. The low conditions of large cities were to be known in order to be free from these conditions, and purity is essential. That is the whole idea of the gospel. It presents God’s thoughts meeting the conditions, eternal life being included.

CHH Do you think that eternal life as presented in John’s writings brings you into the realm of attributed love, whereas eternal life in this epistle ^[p. 194] is in view of being in the good of deliverance and salvation?

JT That is just what I was thinking. It is part of the gospel, but in a limited way, not rising to the full thought of eternal life and its heavenly relations.

SMcC Say a little more about eternal life in connection with its heavenly relations. What do you mean Ly it?

JT The Lord says to Nicodemus, “If I have said the earthly things to you, and ye believe not, how, if I say the heavenly things to you, will ye believe?”. And then He goes on, “And no one has gone up into heaven, save he who came down out of heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, thus must the Son of man be lifted up, that every one who believes on him may not perish, but have life eternal. For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him may not perish, but have life eternal”. The Lord rises in His speaking from the level of the earth. Now in the millennial world the thought of eternal life will be largely linked up with the earth, but in christianity, which John’s gospel touches very quickly, the idea is elevated from earthly things and linked with heavenly things.

CHH In John 4 the thought is the springing up into eternal life.

JT That shows that it is an elevated thought; whereas in the conditions contemplated in the epistle to Titus it is rather what you have to do with directly in a collateral way. It is not a heavenly line but what belongs to the gospel. Believers need eternal life for deliverance from the conditions in which they are found.

SMcC What you have said as to eternal life gives a touch to it that we have not had before. It has generally been suggested that sonship is linked with ^[p. 195] heaven, and eternal life with the earth, whereas you are giving it a heavenly touch in the ministry now.

JT I think it is right to do that because we are not really dealing with the millennial world yet in John. John 2 deals with it. The marriage at Cana of Galilee has it in mind and there the Lord begins to manifest His glory. “This beginning of signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed on him”, John 2: 11. What is the relation? The relation is christianity, what we come into, what eternal life is in relation to christianity. Another thing that we ought to notice is that the minister here is a deputy. Titus is a deputy minister. The ministry is not his. It is Paul’s. He says, “Eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the ages of time, but has manifested in its own due season his word, in the proclamation with which I have been entrusted, according to the commandment of our Saviour God”. That is, Titus is just a deputy, an apostolic appointee for carrying out his orders. I do not know if that is very clear to the brethren, but it is a fact nevertheless that both Timothy and Titus were apostolic deputies. They are not commissioned men. We have to learn to make allowance for that and learn in a way to carry on such a ministry; that is, that we have not a commission. We do not say we have a commission, but still we have the truth and it is going to be carried out. It is to be kept and preached and taught.

ASB Does verse 5 confirm that-”For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou mightest go on to set right what remained unordered, and establish elders in each city, as I had ordered thee”. Establish them — delegated authority.

JT That is important. I do not suppose we know anything about that in any personal sense today, but it is important to keep it in mind as an element of truth that there is such a thing as ^[p. 196] that.

CHH Would that be continued in 2 Timothy 2: 1, 2? “Thou therefore, my child, be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus. And the things thou hast heard of me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, such as shall be competent to instruct others also”.

JT The ministry is carried down to us on that same principle. It has often been called attention to that four generations are involved in this deputy ministry. “The things thou hast heard of me” Paul is number one; Timothy is number two. “Many witnesses” are number three. And then faithful men are number four: “Faithful men, such as shall be competent to instruct others also”. So you see the line of transmission from Paul down to the persons who can instruct others also. So that it is something we ought to observe and profit by. Where are we in these matters? Are we in the latitude of Timothy himself, or in the presence of witnesses of what Timothy learned, or faithful men, or the others who are instructed?

SMcC In regard of the ministry, is the authority in the ministry discerned on the basis of Scripture, or how is it discerned?

JT Well, it is what may be called oral services. It is not writing. Timotheus had learned them from Paul. He says, “In the presence of many witnesses”. That is, this would all bear back on Timothy, what he learned from Paul and then, “These entrust to faithful men, such as shall be competent to instruct others also”. There is nothing said about writings but, of course, we would bring writings in now, but it seems as if the idea is of a personal transmission of the truth from Paul down, as if the middle ages and all that is simply omitted, because those in public authority and responsibility had departed from the truth. So we have to watch the thing working out, how the line of witnesses has come down to us and how ^[p. 197] faithful we are at this end, the end which finishes the thing.

SWP Why does Paul add competency to faithful men, “Such as shall be competent”?

JT That is important, too. It came into our minds this morning, the thought of competency. We read in 1 Corinthians 12: 28, “God has set certain in the assembly: first, apostles; secondly, prophets; thirdly, teachers; then miraculous powers; then gifts of healings; helps; governments; kinds of tongues”. And Titus implies competency. Evangelists are not mentioned in Corinthians but apostles and prophets and then others such as those who can govern and other such things as that. But all these titles such as this, as well as those in Ephesians 4, involve competency. If I ask a brother to preach, is he competent? And that competency must be of God. The idea of the ministry is on the basis of competency. Timothy was competent. Of course gifts were given to them by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. He not only received the light of Paul’s doctrine but he had himself direct gift from God and it was through the presbytery or by the episcopacy. Either the one or the other. The words ‘episcopacy’ and ‘presbyterianism’ really relate to competency, a means of imparting or passing on gift. The Episcopal church have in their minds that a bishop can pass on gift to a curate and others, whereas the Presbyterian Church have a committee, a special group, known as the presbytery, who pass it on. That is, Paul himself passed on gift. He reminds Timothy of it, “For which cause I put thee in mind to rekindle the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands”,

2 Timothy 1: 6. All that brings out what we are as in the midst of a living state of things that directly has to do with God.

CHH Would there be a present bearing of that in the thought of the brethren committing themselves to any one? Would the laying on of the hands of ^[p. 198] the presbytery have a present bearing in that way?

JT No, I think that times are too small for that. The presbytery would be just the elders, you know, and God had put moral responsibility on the elders as to their hands laid on a brother like Timotheus. God would use that, their identification, to give him some thing that he needed for a special purpose. I do not know what you have to say about that.

CHH I was wondering if competency would come out in those who are spiritual today in committing themselves definitely to those who might serve.

JT I would be afraid of that. Take Barnabas and Saul at Antioch: the Spirit says to the assembly there-we cannot tell how He said it, it must have been through some brother-”Separate me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them”, Acts 13: 2. That was all they were asked to do, to separate. This incident at Antioch is helpful; they were not asked to do anything to these two brothers save to separate them for the work, so they laid their hands upon them and let them go. You cannot say anything more. There is nothing inferred as to whether there was any transmission of power to Paul and Barnabas. I do not think there was. But the presbytery did transmit power. I think it would be very unsafe for any brethren today to undertake anything like that now, or even the calling of the elders to pray over a sick person, anointing him with oil; you would be very much afraid. Unless you have a particularly spiritual set of brethren, there is great danger in anything like that. I hope I am not speaking riddles to people, but it is important that we should know these things.

Ques In 2 Chronicles 15: 3 it is said, “Now for a long while Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law”. The whole condition there was bad. “And when Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet,

he took courage”. Would there be some analogy as to the way things are done today in a priestly way?

JT It expresses the value of spiritual persons or spiritual brethren. For instance, “If even a man be taken in some fault, ye who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of meekness, considering thyself lest thou also be tempted”. The stress is on the word ‘spiritual’, that spiritual persons have a certain power in such a case to restore an erring brother or sister, but nothing more than that; whereas James says, “Is any sick among you? let him call to him the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith shall heal the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he be one who has committed sins, it shall be forgiven him”, James 5: 14, 15. That would suppose a primary state of things where elders were recognised as in this epistle and he would call them and they lay hands on him and pray for him and anoint him with oil, and it says, “the prayer of faith shall heal the sick”, but it is in that connection.

ASB I think your reference to Acts 13 is very helpful because of the engagement of the brethren in ministering to the Lord and fasting, and the Spirit having His place. What to do is not by commandment. It is more by instinct under the power of the Spirit, and then “They therefore, having been sent forth by the Holy Spirit” are in full accord with the Spirit’s movements.

JT So the brethren at Antioch had no right, nor power, nor authority over the two apostles, Paul and Barnabas, to control their movements. It is a mistake for brethren to control, or attempt to control, ministering brethren.

CHH Would “Trophimus I left behind in Miletus sick” (2 Timothy 4: 20) imply that the condition that had come in would weaken the position ^[p. 200] as to elders?

JT It would seem as though nothing was done to help Trophimus. He was just left with God. It is a remarkable thing. Why did not Paul himself do it? He would not attempt to do it. He left him with God. It would indicate that there was some condition that would hinder.

GMcP Does Paul have that in mind as speaking to the elders in Acts 20? He says, “And now I commit you to God, and to the word of his grace”. He would link their souls directly with God.

JT Quite so. You mean Paul commended the elders to God? There is no idea of transmission of power in that chapter at all. It is a question of the elders at Ephesus and they are responsible and they are apt to stray, some of them. The whole position is put on that footing so that you feel you are dealing there with Paul’s great work, his final work. Ephesus was a final great work and Christianity was set going in that way and left, commended to God and His grace and then Paul departs. That is the condition at Ephesus. So in Revelation, Ephesus is viewed as the summit of christianity and is the first assembly referred to.

HB I would like some help as to the Lord’s word to Saul of Tarsus, “Rise up and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do”. How far would that go today?

JT Well, it is a very simple matter. The Lord is telling Saul, or Paul, that He has some representation in Damascus, and they are not persons of great distinction, but persons who are just there in Damascus. He direct him to the city to a few men in it. He would as it were humble Paul, I think, like Naaman, the Syrian, for Elisha did not do anything very great. Naaman says, “Behold, I thought, He will certainly come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of Jehovah his God, and wave his hand over the place, and cure the leper”, 2 Kings 5: 11. I think servants ^[p. 201] need to begin that way, that inconspicuous brothers in the name of the Lord are to do the needful. “It shall be told thee what thou must do”. The Lord had to prepare Ananias for the service. He had to prepare him immediately. He needed a little replenishing himself to do the needful for Paul, the young convert.

TLS Elisha called one of the young prophets and told him to go and anoint Jehu, and so on. Does that enter into what we are speaking of now?

JT Yes. Elijah was to anoint Hazael, Jehu and Elisha. He was to anoint three persons, meaning that the coming generations were to be on the basis of anointing through Elisha honouring Elijah. I do not think we are ever allowed to be in a sort of static condition. Brethren are always being moved. There is someone to be distinguished and we are to be in movement in regard to him, respect him and God is with us.

TLS In connection with the matter of Titus and that it is Paul’s ministry, we would hardly say that Titus was passing on something second-hand, would we?

JT Well, there is a difference between Paul and Titus, but there is no such difference between Paul and Apollos. Apollos was not a delegate at all but Titus and Timothy have that peculiar place and it carries with it something in the way of what you call ‘second-hand’ work. For instance, Paul sent Timothy to Corinth. There was no assumption of Timothy’s having any special ministry because of it. He was not to go there and give out what he liked but he was to go there and represent Paul. Paul says, “For this reason I have sent to you Timotheus, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who shall put you in mind of my ways as they are in Christ, according as I teach everywhere in every assembly”. It is not Timothy’s ways, but Paul’s ways. All these things are most important to bring out what Christianity ^[p. 202] really means, how we are always to be on the move. Here is Timotheus. What is going to happen? Where is Apollos? He is not here. Timothy is here to represent Paul; therefore, the Corinthians are somewhat on low ground at that time.

CHH The disciples would have that thought in their minds, when the Lord told them, after they had done certain things, that they were unprofitable servants and had done what was their duty to do.

Ques What would you say about Paul’s desire to go to Rome? “Having great desire to come to you these many years”, Romans 15: 23.

JT He would do that himself. He had not gone as yet. He had not been to Rome. He wished to go and as a matter of fact he became a prisoner, but we may be sure that a gift was imparted. When Phoebe went to Rome she would convey something of Paul. She no doubt brought a letter to them and they would read that letter doubtless in her presence and she would be there; she is highly commended. She would be highly exercised as the letter was being read. Why should I be singled out thus? Well, it was an honour and she would doubtless impart something to the Romans as a sister. It is a poor thing if any of us does not impart something.

Rem “I have planted; Apollos watered; but God has given the increase. So that neither the planter is anything, nor the waterer; but God the giver of the increase. But the planter and the waterer are one”, 1 Corinthians 3: 6 - 8. That indicates that Apollos was not delegated; it bears that out.

JT No, and he would not go to Corinth at one time; it was not his mind to go, showing that he was not like Titus or Timothy.

Now in Titus 3: 4 we read, “But when the kindness and love to man of our Saviour God appeared, not on the principle of works which have been done in righteousness which we had done, but according to his own mercy he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour”. Now we began this time to call attention to the fact that what was said about new birth in John 3 was not a full thought. The first refers to what would enable a person to see the kingdom, and the second statement of the Lord’s would enable a person to enter into the kingdom. It is only the entering in. It is not the full thought of possessing or enjoying the full kingdom. It is partial. We make a point of that but in this chapter we have complete thoughts. The truth here runs on to the Spirit: “Renewal of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour”. It is the modus operandi of the gospel as stated here in full terms. And the great thought is what is poured out on us richly, and then the result “That, having been justified by his grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life”. It is a question of the modus operandi of the gospel, whoever might preach it-Paul in this case-and the result that one is saved. The terms of salvation are employed and eternal life is included.

SMcC Would the thought of regeneration help as to Nicodemus? He did not seem to leave the old state of things, whereas regeneration involves a new state of things.

JT Quite so. It is really a new order as the note shows. The note is, ‘”Regeneration” is not the same word as “being born again”, nor is it used so in scripture. The force of the word is a change of position; a new state of things. The word is only used here, and in Matthew 19:28 for the Saviour’s coming kingdom’. Here it is used in relation to christianity. It is used in Matthew 19: 28 as a change of position in a sense of the millennium: “In the regeneration”, the Lord says, such-and-such will happen. Well, that is the millennium but here the regeneration is connected with christianity, a complete changeover from judaism and particularly from heathendom.

Ques Does the “washing of regeneration” involve experience or is it an immediate matter?

JT It is attributed to God. It takes place, you might say, simultaneously with regeneration, although they are two thoughts. The word for washing is a bath. You have the washing, and there is plenty of water. It is just a bath in water to wash yourself but it is God that does it. Regeneration is a positive thing and it denotes your coming into a new state of things. For instance, if immigrants came from Bohemia to this country in the old times, consideration would be given to their fives, the other countries, and the low conditions that existed. They would get citizenship. They would get education. It would be a point that their children had to go to school. Everything must be right, so to speak, and in keeping with the Constitution. The immigrant would be herded into a position down at Ellis Island, as we used to call it, and then they would be allotted something else a step higher and the idea would be that they had to be purified from the old conditions. You must not live in this country in these conditions. It is a weak illustration but it is the truth. I know well enough how it is worked out. You must be educated to the conditions of this country and live accordingly. The idea is that it is a new order of things. The Americans like a new world to live in these days. And that is what christianity is, a new world. Regeneration alludes to that. It is not new birth. It is a new order of things and you must come into that. You must learn to be in it and be in the good of it.

Rem The “evil wild beasts” would be changed entirely by the renewal of the Holy Spirit. They were ^[p. 205] characterised by being always liars and lazy gluttons, but now conditions would be entirely changed in their character and the Jewish mind and judaism that was prevailing in Crete would be discontinued and christianity entered into.

JT Quite so. He pictured christians just as the immigrants came into things here. In the second verse he says, “To speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be mild, shewing all meekness”. This is the education they are coming into. “For we were once ourselves also without intelligence”. That is the natural man. And we ourselves are in this this afternoon. We have to come into a new order of things spiritually, so that it says, “For we were once ourselves also without intelligence, disobedient, wandering in error, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But when the kindness and love to man of our Saviour God appeared, not on the principle of works which have been done in righteousness which we had done, but according to his own mercy he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour”. Well, now that is what everyone here today can say: that we are changed, that the washing has changed us. But regeneration, that is the schooling, the education-I am using a symbol-that this country affords fits us for a new order of things, that we know how to live in this great and rich country as people call it, know how to live in this new order of things. That is exactly what christianity is.

Ques How does the pouring out of the Holy Spirit fit in here?

JT The pouring out of the Holy Spirit abundantly is a full thought. It is a greater thought than the millennial regeneration. They will not be indwelt by the Spirit but we are, as we have in Romans 5: 5,

“^[p. 206] because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given to us”.

CHH Would the education be anything like that of the woman in John 4 who left her waterpot?

JT Yes, after she left the waterpot. The waterpot was the whole thing. That was the drudgery she was in. That is what she was herself. It is a good illustration of the way into the new order of things. We are introduced into it by the washing. The washing is distinct from regeneration but both thoughts run together in it.

GMcP Do you see that in Acts 10: 47? “Can any one forbid water that these should not be baptised, who have received the Holy Spirit as we also did?”. I was wondering if Cornelius would come into this principle of regeneration.

JT Well, there it is. We have to regard him not as an ordinary heathen because he was already in touch with God. He prayed and gave alms and certain other things were said about him but still he had to come into the Spirit’s realm, as it were. But the Spirit is shed abroad immediately as Peter is unfolding these things to the company.

ASB In Titus 3, would verse 3 be the thought of degeneration, and regeneration would stand over against that?

JT Very good. So the word ‘regeneration’, as has already been noted in J.N.D.’s footnote, points out a new order of things that we have come into.

CDeB What is meant by “the kindness ... of our Saviour God”?

JT The footnote gives the word as meaning ‘philanthropy’. It is used of God. The philanthropy of God. The word ‘philanthropy’ is well known in the world. It is used here to show what the terms of the gospel convey, how rich they are, how magnificent they are and what they bring us into.

^[p. 207] Ques Would you say a little about the idea of heirship? You have alluded to ourselves in the negative sense, but it says, “We should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life”.

JT That is another thing. There is no probate tax on our property. The taxes are going to be very heavy on property here, but there is no tax on this. It is the richness of the thing and the bounty of it and the freedom of it that is unimpaired. We come into an inheritance that is entirely free. There is no mortgage on it. This country is highly mortgaged. The generations for long enough are mortgaged whereas in these words, we are “heirs according to the hope of eternal life”; there is no mortgage on that. We are clear as risen from the dead unto eternal life.

Rem “Poured out on us richly”. That is the idea, is it not? Whereas taxation is being poured on us every minute.

JT It is to understand that in the new order of things in Christianity there are no taxes. Everything is free, abundantly free.

JWB “If I open not to you the windows of the heavens, and pour you out a blessing, till there be no place for it”, Malachi 3: 10. How does that fit in there in regard to the pouring out here, the pouring out of the blessing there?

JT Well, the terms are mentioned that the tithes are brought into the storehouse. “Bring the whole tithe into the treasure-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah of hosts, if I open not to you the windows of the heavens, and pour you out a blessing, till there be no place for it”. It is something like this, but there is no idea of a tithe here. The word is really ‘the philanthropy of God’. That is the word in verse 4. Philanthropy does not imply any taxes at all. The thing is given outright. What you do is given outright and liberally. Well, that time had come, Paul ^[p. 208] says, and it was not on the principle of works, but “According to his own mercy he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour”. This is the principle. We were considering this morning the operations of the Spirit and only in a limited way. There is nothing said about Himself as being a gift to the believer. “The renewal of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that, having been justified by his grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life”. It is the richness of it, the magnificence of it that is in mind. It is not tainted in any way and the hope is eternal life.

GMcP Would Acts 2 help us? “And there came suddenly a sound out of heaven as of a violent impetuous blowing, and filled all the house where they were sitting”. And then in verse 4, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit”.

JT This is very much like Pentecost. The gentiles come into it in Acts 10 when Peter opens the way. Peter is reminded of that when he sees what happens because he was preaching when that happened.

SMcC What is meant by the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit?

JT I think that is what is involved in the new order of things which they were brought into. I think it is the newness and freshness and vigour and power marking the incoming of the Spirit falling on the gentile believers. I think that is what is meant. Peter was amazed at what he saw, because he was preaching while it happened and he was reminded of what happened at Pentecost. The word ‘renewal’ is strong. Acts 2 enlarges on what happened, the rich breathing that was heard. It was breathing and the whole house is filled with the sound of the breathing, as if the very depths of God were involved in the gift.

^[p. 209] The depths of God were in the idea of breathing. As the note says it is not ‘wind’ exactly, but it is ‘breath’, the thought of divine Persons breathing. The Lord breathed into the disciples. The thing is conveyed in its greatness and essence. It is Pentecost that is reserved for that.

Ques Does the word ‘holy’ link on with the word ‘purification’?

JT That is just it. The whole epistle to Titus stresses the thought of purification. “All things are pure to the pure”. That is to say that divine purity brought about by this transaction creates a condition in men and women that forbids the occupation with impure things. There are things that are pure and are to be regarded as pure and to be spoken of without fear or thought of indecency. God has made them pure. “All things are pure to the pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving”, that is an unregenerate person, “nothing is pure”. Even the pure things which a christian deals with are not pure to them. They are impure in their very mouths. The very words that they use are impure to them. They cannot be otherwise.

CHH “But the wisdom from above first is pure”, James 3: 17.

JT That fits here.

ASB In Acts 2 Peter says, “And it shall be in the last days, saith God, that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your elders shall dream dreams; yea, even upon my bondmen and upon my bondwomen in those days will I pour out of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy”. God claims them in that way.

JT Well, what a rich pouring out in the millennium that will be! It is brought in here, but it does not go the whole way. What goes farther is what is ^[p. 210] stated in the beginning of Acts 2, the breathing of God. Then Peter is reminded of it by what he saw at Cornelius’ house. So that he immediately commands baptism. He commands it.

JMcK Why is it justified by His grace and saved according to His mercy? What would you say the grace of God operating testifies?

JT You are asking the difference between the word mercy and grace? Mercy is a sovereign thought. “According to his own mercy he saved us”. Ephesians says, “Being rich in mercy”. Here it is “His own mercy”: “According to his own mercy he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that, having been justified by his grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life”. It is all governed by the idea of mercy. “Justified by his grace”, that is, God graciously justifies us. The idea of grace surmounts evil, overcomes evil so that the subject is made righteous. God makes it righteous. Not only forgiven, but justified, made fit for the new order. Nothing can be laid to our charge. It is to bring out what christianity is. There is no charge to be laid at our doors at all. We are justified.

What a people we are! God would have us to glory in what His mercy has made us and how grace rises above our guilt and justifies us. “We should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life”. Heirship goes with it. We know from another scripture that the Spirit is the earnest of the inheritance, that is to say, eternal life is available to us on the principle of the Spirit, the earnest of the Spirit.

CHH In Titus 2: 13 we have “Our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ”. In Titus 3: 6 we have “Jesus Christ our Saviour”, then in verse 4 there is a difference-it is “Our Saviour God”.

JT Generally it is the word ‘Saviour’. It is a question of salvation in this epistle, that is, God being a Saviour. Eternal life is only an adjunct to the great idea of salvation. “Awaiting the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ”. That is to say, Jesus Christ is the great God and Saviour, which is a great tribute to the Lord.

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