“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,” (Titus 3:4).
This verse starts with the word but. The word is used when contrasting what was before with what is to be stated. So, in order to understand what this verse is contrasting, it’s important to look into the previous verse. “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.” (Titus 3:3) Verse 4 is incomplete because the contrasting statement is in verse 5, but it gives us the reason why there is a contrast. Praise the Lord there is contrast to verse 3! “We...were...!!! Verse 3 is no longer who we are. I am so grateful for the kindness and love of our God and Savior. We hate to think of that abominable person we were before Jesus. “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” (Hebrews 10:17) God doesn’t remember it and some may say why try to remember. We should remember to know and understand the depth of the kindness and love of God our Lord and Savior toward us while we were His enemies. “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Roman 5:10)
The Scripture in Titus 3:4 seems so inadequate to describe the work of the cross and the change in us. There are no words here on earth that could describe such a miraculous and marvelous work of God. It’s not even something that can be understood in the natural. It’s a divine work. For who can change a person’s heart? Who can birth a new spirit? Who can give us the Holy Spirit? It’s impossible with man. “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)
Verse 4 of our study states that the kindness of God appeared. It was manifested in the work He does in man. His kindness is His character of goodness from His moral excellence. There are no sufficient words in any language to describe it. The Jewish writers recognized this and out of reverence to this greatness never spell out the word God but write G-d to indicate His greatness and His being which is beyond our human understanding.
It’s God’s type of kindness that God expects His children to possess. If we cannot even understand it, how are we going to have such a characteristic? It is o nly through the work of the Holy Spirit in us. It’s a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Some translations have translated kindness to goodness. (Galatians 5:22) Paul and Titus used the same Greek word which was translated kindness in one verse and goodness in another. It’s God’s character of goodness from His moral excellence.
Verse 4 also attributes God’s love toward man for making this change available to man. Paul writes in Romans, “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) God approved and favorably exhibited His love while we were sinning. This talks about God’s grace extended to us, His undeserved favor. It’s a gift. We don’t strive for it nor earn it by being good. It’s not man’s efforts that save us. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Ephesians 2:8) God’s goodness and love saves us.
Without His love and mercy, we would be in eternal damnation, living a life pursing the temporal lusts of this world in a hopeless and defeated life. And eternally, we would know the wrath of God reserved for those who refuse His gift of kindness and love. After Jesus, anyone who surrenders to Him has hope of God’s eternal goodness. Titus ends his thoughts with the last phrase of that sentence. “That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:7) Our hope is based on God’s promises, knowing He never lies. (Titus 1:2)
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