Titus 3:6

The Holy Spirit is shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour. The grace of this Saviour has justified us, so that we should be heirs according to the hope of eternal life. I think the word "that" in verse 7 points back to "the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit." The sentence, "which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour," is a parenthesis added alongside it. It shows us that we enjoy these things in their fullness by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Here we have three very distinct statements. First, He has saved us. Second, He saved us "by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit" — that is, as in John 3, "born of water and the Spirit." This means moral cleansing, or purification, and a new life or nature. Third, "which He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour." Here we have more than the life-giving work of the Holy Spirit. We have the special Christian privilege, the Spirit of adoption, by whom we can call God Abba, Father. We have the gift of the Spirit, with all the fullness of spiritual blessing that comes with His abiding presence in us and with us.

The Spirit has been poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour. God does not give the Spirit by measure, for the Spirit is a living Person, and not limited by human limitations. And this blessing has come through Jesus Christ our Saviour. God has given Him all His riches, and He delights to share them generously with His saints.

What we have here is not being born anew, or born of God. That, in my judgment, is common to all saints at all times. What we have here is the form and fullness that now belongs to the Christian... New birth is universal. But the new place, and the gift of the Holy Spirit in this rich way, waited until redemption was accomplished.

He does not merely work in us with real effect; He also remains with us for ever. This is of immense value. It stands in clear contrast with Old Testament privilege, where believers feel the danger of His leaving and pray against it, as we see in Psalm 51... Certainly this could not be except "through Jesus Christ our Saviour." Those words are added here for two reasons. First, so that we would imagine no other ground. Second, so that we would have the fullest assurance of abundant and unfailing grace, in the power of the Spirit Himself, through such a Saviour.

No mistake could be more damaging than to confuse the gift of the Holy Spirit with those gifts and signs and miracles which were outward proofs... The presence of the Spirit Himself, our Helper, is far higher and deeper than all the mighty deeds He worked.

Given in this way, He energises the new life we now have. He works a day-by-day renewing within us. That renewing works out a continuous and growing salvation from the old life we once lived... He has been poured on us abundantly, and so we may enjoy what really is life in abundant measure.