“Washing” In Titus 3:5 Is Not Referring To Water Baptism Per Se

Titus 3:5 reads “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.”

I heard a preacher say recently the only thing in the New Testament that involves “washing” is water baptism, therefore the “washing” of Tit 3:5 must refer to water baptism. Through the years I’ve heard many gospel preachers make a similar assertion.

But I think they are accidently overlooking a very important washing in the New Testament and that is the washing away of sins by the blood of Christ – like in Rev 1:5b “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.” And I am confident this is what the washing of Tit 3:5 is referring to – the washing away / forgiveness of our sins.

Tit 3:5 is saying we are saved by the washing away of sins that occurs when we are regenerated. Now we know from John 3:3,5 that regeneration involves water baptism, and we know that water baptism is when we receive the forgiveness of sins (Acts 22:16, 2:38). But baptism and forgiveness of sins are not the same thing, and the “washing” in Tit 3:5 is referring to the later.

Eph 2:8-9, Tit 3:5, and II Tim 1:9 are all three discussing the earning basis for our salvation, not the conditionality of it – that is why they don’t contradict James 2:24. All three state our salvation is not by our works (like water baptism) but it is by grace. Specifically Tit 3:5 says salvation is not by “works of righteousness which we have done” and water baptism is most definitely a work of righteousness which we have done. This should also help us to see that the “washing” there is not talking about water baptism, because if that were the case, the verse would be saying we are saved not by baptism, but by baptism.

There are plenty of verses that conclusively teach water baptism is necessary to salvation. We don’t need to force a round peg into a square hole to find another.

Hear Bible Crossfire every Sunday night at 8:04 central on SiriusXM radio Family Talk 131