Titus 3:3
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
The verse describes the former condition of believers themselves before conversion as foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to all kinds of desires and pleasures, and living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. That serving of desires and pleasures is bondage to debased appetite and passion and to sin itself, belonging to a wider state of alienation from God as dead in trespasses and sins. Even in that lost condition the kindness and love of God appeared to save, not because of righteous deeds done but by mercy through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit given abundantly through Jesus Christ, so that being justified by grace believers become heirs of eternal life. Remembering that former condition forbids speaking evil of anyone, quarreling and harsh dealing, and requires gentleness and showing all meekness to all people. God's kindness and saving mercy toward sinners is the pattern for treating those who err, so those who have received that love are to be kind and tender even toward the faulty and sinful, refusing to judge hearts and forgiving brethren who repent.
What We Once Were
The verse describes what believers themselves once were before conversion, foolish, disobedient and deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, and living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. It speaks not of others only but of all Christians in their former sinful condition of folly, disobedience, deception, bondage to sinful desires, and life in mutual hatred. That past state was one of foolishness, sin, and rule by debased desires, full of malice, envy and hatred toward one another.
Serving divers lusts and pleasures is slavery to debased appetite and passion and the service of sin and Satan. It belongs to a wider state of alienation from God, as those dead in trespasses and sins and enemies in mind by wicked works. It is half-hearted service that cherishes traits of character that will exclude a person from heaven.
The verse stands between the charge to be subject to rulers, to obey and to be ready to every good work, and the appearing afterward of the kindness and love of God that saves by mercy.
Saved by Mercy Alone
Even in that lost state of folly, disobedience, deception, bondage to varied lusts and pleasures, and life in malice, envy and mutual hatred, the kindness and love of God appeared to save. Salvation came not by works of righteousness that had been done, but by mercy through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit shed abundantly through Jesus Christ. Being justified by grace in this way, believers become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This contrast between what was once deserved and what mercy bestows is an instructive lesson for those who desire to reach the highest Christian experience through obedience to the cleansing word of Christ.
The depth of that love is measured by Christ becoming the propitiation for sins to meet men even when dead in trespasses and sins and enemies in mind by wicked works. That wider state of alienation from God included serving varied lusts and pleasures as slaves of debased appetite and passion and servants of sin and Satan, ruled by foolishness and sin and debased desires. Through the Holy Spirit souls are led to find in Christ forgiveness of sins and deliverance from that condition.
Those who claim to believe and teach the truth while still working unrighteousness remain in that old-man state without inward change, like banquet guests without a wedding garment. Their mutual strife and hatred display that unchristian condition and stand in contrast to the character of Christ. They must put off the former corrupt life, be renewed in mind, put on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness, and undergo complete transformation in order to live as Christians.
Remember and Show Mercy
Remembering that believers themselves were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, and living in malice and envy with hatred toward one another forbids speaking evil of anyone, quarreling, brawling, and harsh dealing. For that same reason no partiality or favoritism is to be shown, such as rebuking the less-loved while sustaining the more guilty as friends. Instead all are to be ready to every good work, to be gentle, showing all meekness to all people, with the memory of what was once the common condition grounding humility, mercy, and kindness toward others.
God's kindness and saving mercy toward men in that lost condition is the pattern for treating those who err, so that meekness and mercy replace harshness and partiality. Even in that condition mercy and love appeared to save, not by works of righteousness done but by mercy, and the love so received makes people kind and tender even toward the faulty, erring, and sinful. This requires humbled hearts, refusal to judge motives and hearts, and forgiveness of brethren who repent.
A brother at fault must be dealt with by Christ's directions, in meekness and gentleness, restoring him in the spirit of meekness while considering one's own liability to be tempted, rather than being led by another spirit and walking in the light of sparks of one's own kindling. Leading men especially need this conversion of heart, so that selfishness, envy, and jealousy are removed and the Spirit of Christ comes in. Harsh unsympathetic treatment that wounds a brother wounds Christ in the person of His saints and weakens the soul. As one has dealt with his brother so the Lord will deal with him at the bar of God, unless there is repentance, thorough confession, and restitution where injury was done.
Talking, laughing, going in company with the world, and acting like the careless world is that same former condition of folly, disobedience, deception, service of lusts and pleasures, and life in malice and envy with mutual hatred. Excusing wrongs, equivocating over faults, and acting deception for a sinner hardens him and makes him bold in sin, and such a life is a reproach to Sabbathkeepers. The hatred, malice, and envy of that old life are also shown in disrespect and unkind treatment of parents, causing them suffering, which is a great sin that must be recognized and repented of, or it leads to growing spiritual darkness and persistence in evil. The evils of serving lusts cannot be put away too soon, for it is altogether too late in the day to continue in them, and thorough work for eternity must be made now, for now is the accepted time and the day of salvation.
The verse is an instructive lesson for those who desire to reach the highest Christian experience through obedience to the cleansing word of Christ, reminding them of that former sinful condition in contrast to the kindness and love of God that afterward appeared to save by mercy. That mercy produces those zealous of good works who avoid foolish questions, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law.