Titus 3 7

Titus 3:7 kjv

That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:7 nkjv

that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:7 niv

so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:7 esv

so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:7 nlt

Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.

Titus 3 verses

Titus 3 7 Meaning

This verse states the ultimate purpose and blessed result of God's redemptive work, previously described as His kindness, love, regeneration, and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:4-6). It clarifies that believers are declared righteous not by their own merits or works, but solely through God's unmerited favor (grace). As a consequence of this divine act, they are adopted into God's family, becoming spiritual heirs, anticipating the full realization of eternal life which is guaranteed by the divine promise and serves as their steadfast hope.

Titus 3 7 Context

Titus chapter 3 emphasizes the transformation from a former way of life (characterized by foolishness, disobedience, and various sins, as mentioned in Titus 3:3) to one of humble, good works and respect for authority. The immediate preceding verses (Titus 3:4-6) are crucial, describing God's active role in salvation: His kindness, His love, the washing of regeneration, and the renewal by the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:7 serves as the explicit purpose (introduced by "so that" or "in order that") for these divine acts. Paul writes to Titus to guide the young church leaders on Crete, a region known for its cultural challenges and false teachings that promoted either antinomianism or a return to legalistic observance. This verse firmly establishes salvation as God's sovereign work of grace, counteracting any human boast in works or lineage, and underscores the secure future awaiting believers.

Titus 3 7 Word analysis

• so that (ἵνα - hina): This conjunction explicitly introduces a purpose clause. It clarifies that the actions of God described in Titus 3:4-6 (His kindness, love, the washing of regeneration, and renewal by the Holy Spirit) have a specific goal: the justification and subsequent inheritance of eternal life for believers. It highlights divine intentionality in salvation.
• being justified (δικαιωθέντες - dikaiōthentes): This is an aorist passive participle.
  • Aorist: Signifies a completed action in the past or at a single point, indicating that justification is a definitive, forensic act that has occurred for the believer. It is not an ongoing process of becoming righteous but a declaration of being righteous.
  • Passive: Indicates that the subject ("we") is the recipient of the action; it is something done to us, not by us. God is the one who justifies.
  • Meaning of δικάζω (dikaióō): In Pauline theology, to "justify" means to declare, pronounce, or reckon righteous, rather than to make inherently righteous. It's a legal verdict from God, setting one right with Him, as if one had never sinned and had fulfilled all righteousness.
• by His grace (τῇ αὐτοῦ χάριτι - tē autou chariti):
  • Grace (χάρις - charis): Refers to God's undeserved favor, His benevolent and unmerited disposition towards humanity, especially in salvation. It stands in stark contrast to human works or merit. It is the sole ground or basis for justification.
  • His (αὐτοῦ - autou): Emphasizes that this grace originates purely from God, underscoring His initiative and generosity.
• we might become (γενώμεθα - genōmetha): This is an aorist middle subjunctive verb.
  • Subjunctive Mood: Indicates purpose, result, or consequence following "so that."
  • Middle Voice: While often indicating action by the subject upon themselves, here in the context of divine action, it still emphasizes the resulting state or condition experienced by the subject, i.e., "that we ourselves might come to be" heirs.
  • Meaning: The act of justification by grace results in believers entering into the status of heirs.
• heirs (κληρονόμοι - klēronomoi): Individuals who are entitled to receive an inheritance.
  • Spiritual Heirship: Believers become spiritual children of God, and thus rightful inheritors of His blessings, promises, and ultimately, eternal life and His kingdom. This concept often includes being "joint heirs with Christ" (Rom 8:17), meaning sharing in His inheritance. It's not earned, but given based on new family status.
• according to the hope (κατ' ἐλπίδα - kat' elpida):
  • According to (κατά - kata): This preposition indicates the standard, rule, or basis for something. The inheritance of eternal life is granted in conformity with or on the basis of this specific hope.
  • Hope (ἐλπίδα - elpida): In biblical terms, hope is not a mere wish or possibility, but a confident expectation and certainty based on God's character and unfailing promises, particularly regarding future salvation and glorification. It is both a present possession (the earnest of our inheritance) and a future reality to be fully experienced.
• of eternal life (ζωῆς αἰωνίου - zōēs aiōniou):
  • Eternal (αἰώνιος - aiōnios): Signifies not merely unending duration but primarily a quality of life—life belonging to the "age to come" or divine life that partakes of God's own nature. It encompasses fullness, joy, and spiritual communion with God.
  • Life (ζωή - zōē): Often used in the New Testament to denote spiritual life, which begins at conversion and culminates in glorification, as opposed to mere physical existence.
  • The Object of Hope and Inheritance: Eternal life is both the substance of the Christian's confident hope and the glorious inheritance promised through God's grace. It is the culmination of God's redemptive work.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "so that being justified by His grace": This phrase succinctly expresses the method and source of salvation. It is God's grace, and the act is one of justification. This directly opposes any human-centered righteousness or justification by adherence to laws or traditions, a common polemic against Jewish legalism and humanistic pride in the Greco-Roman world.
• "we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life": This part identifies the result and content of salvation. Justification leads to being designated as God's heirs, with the inheritance being eternal life. The phrase "according to the hope" firmly roots this future reality in the divine promise and Christian eschatology, ensuring it is a certain expectation, not a fanciful dream.

Titus 3 7 Bonus section

The concept of "eternal life" (ζωῆς αἰωνίου) here extends beyond mere chronological endlessness. It carries the weight of sharing in God's very life and character. This quality of life is made accessible through a saving relationship with Christ, implying deep, abiding spiritual vitality and a dynamic knowledge of God (as seen in John 17:3). The phrase "according to the hope" can be understood not just as conformity to hope, but also as hope as the very standard by which this inheritance is secured, aligning with God's steadfast and never-failing promises. It reflects a theological understanding where God’s plan of salvation is comprehensive, originating in His love, enacted through His grace, resulting in a transformed status, and culminating in a guaranteed future.

Titus 3 7 Commentary

Titus 3:7 functions as the theological capstone to Paul's description of God's salvific initiative (Titus 3:4-6). It asserts that our status before God is not earned but gifted, achieved through the declaration of righteousness—justification—which stems entirely from His divine, unmerited favor. This justification transcends human merit, negating any ground for boasting or self-righteousness. The immediate consequence of this gracious justification is adoption into God's family, securing a rightful inheritance. This inheritance is definitively identified as eternal life, a concept far richer than mere unending existence, signifying a qualitative, divine existence characterized by true communion with God, beginning in the present and culminating in full glory. This promise of eternal life is the bedrock of the Christian's hope, providing assurance and motivating godly living not out of compulsion but out of gratitude and anticipation of future fulfillment.

Examples:

• Grace not Works: Like receiving an inheritance from a benefactor based solely on their will, not on personal merit.
• Confident Hope: Similar to a child expecting a promised gift from a trustworthy parent; the expectation is certain, though the exact timing or form might be awaited.
• Forensic Justification: A court declaring an accused person 'not guilty' even though they committed the crime, because someone else (Christ) paid their penalty.