How does Saint Paul articulate the bath of regeneration and the treatment of heretics in Titus 3?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Paul connects civic gentleness, mercy, regeneration and good works, directs avoidance of vain disputes and a heretic after two admonitions, and closes with travel and support instructions.

Chapter breakdown

Paul directs Titus to remind the believers of their civil and social duties. They must show respectful submission to governing magistrates and legal authorities, obeying at a word and standing ready to assist in every good work. In their daily dealings with others, they must slander no one, avoid quarrelsome contentions, and cultivate a gentle spirit, demonstrating unfailing mildness toward all people. To foster this humility, the apostle reminds them that Christians themselves were once spiritually foolish, disobedient, led astray, and enslaved to diverse passions and pleasures, spending their days in destructive malice and jealousy, loathsome in conduct and hating one another.

Yet when the profound goodness and human-loving benevolence of God our Savior was revealed to mankind, He intervened to save us. This redemption did not occur as a reward for righteous works that we had accomplished through our own merit, but was granted entirely out of His merciful compassion. He cleansed us through the washing of regeneration and spiritual renewal worked by the Holy Ghost, whom God poured forth upon us in abundance through Jesus Christ our Savior. Having been justified through His gratuitous grace, we may be heirs according to the confident hope of everlasting life. Paul declares this doctrine to be entirely trustworthy, charging Titus to affirm it continually so that those who place their trust in God may strive eagerly to excel in virtuous works, which are inherently noble and advantageous to all humanity.

Conversely, the apostle warns Titus to shun foolish controversies, genealogies, and contentions and strivings about the law, which are useless and hollow. If a person promotes obstinate heresy, Titus must administer a first and a second pastoral admonition; if the offender persists in error, Titus must break off fellowship, knowing that such an individual has become spiritually perverted and continues in willful sin, standing condemned by his own judgment. A Challoner annotation explains this self-condemnation: while ordinary transgressors are judged and cast out through the formal sentence of the Church's pastors, obstinate heretics suffer an even more tragic plight by abandoning the Church of their own accord, thereby pronouncing sentence against their own souls.

In his closing directives, Paul asks Titus to make every effort to meet him at Nicopolis as soon as Artemas or Tychicus is sent to him, for Paul has determined to spend the winter months in that city. Titus must also provide diligent assistance to Zenas the lawyer and Apollo for their journey, ensuring that none of their travel needs remain unfulfilled. Paul emphasizes that Christian believers must learn to excel in practical works of charity to supply necessary human needs, preventing their lives from becoming spiritually unfruitful. The letter concludes with affectionate greetings from Paul’s companions, blessings upon all who love them in the faith, and a final prayer invoking the grace of God upon the entire community.

The story inside

Paul tells Titus to admonish obedience to princes and powers, readiness for every good work and mildness to all. He recalls their former foolishness, desire, malice and hatred, then God’s kindness: salvation according to mercy by regeneration and renovation of the Holy Ghost, with heirship according to hope. Believers should excel in good works and avoid vain disputes. A heretic is to be avoided after two admonitions; a distinct annotation explains self-condemnation as leaving the Church. When Artemas or Tychicus is sent, Titus should hasten to Nicopolis where Paul plans to winter. He should send Zenas and Apollo forward without lack and teach necessary good works before final greetings.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Retain hoped-for heirship and mercy rather than expanding to a complete theory of justification.
2
Distinguish the self-condemnation annotation from Paul’s quoted instruction.
3
Paul plans winter at Nicopolis; the text reports no messenger arrival or successful journey.

Test your recall

Why does Saint Paul say in Titus 3 that an obstinate heretic who rejects repeated admonition is condemned by his own judgment?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 135081–135085
3:1. Admonish them to be subject to princes and powers, to obey at a word, to be ready to every good work. 3:2. To speak evil of no man, not to be litigious but gentle: shewing all mildness towards all men.
Lines 135091–135101
3:4. But when the goodness and kindness of God our Saviour appeared: 3:5. Not by the works of justice which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us, by the laver of regeneration and renovation of the Holy Ghost. 3:6. Whom he hath poured forth upon us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour: 3:7. That, being justified by his grace, we may be heirs according to hope of life everlasting.
Lines 135110–135114
3:10. A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, avoid: 3:11. Knowing that he that is such an one is subverted and sinneth, being condemned by his own judgment.