Titus: It is Not Our Righteousness

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, -Titus 3:1-5 NIV

When we realize that it is only because of God's mercy that we have been saved, it changes our lives and how we respond to others.  We can no longer be judgmental, because we know the judgment from which we escaped.  We can no longer be disobedient beapcause we have seen the obedience of Christ.  We can no longer be filled with strife, because we have met the Prince of Peace.  We can no longer be proud, because we have met the one who humbly offered his life for us; one who had every reason to be proud and puffed up because he was after all the Son of God.  We can no longer be filled with the lusts and desires of the world because we have been washed clean.  When we realize that if it were left to our works, we would never be able to enter the Kingdom of God, when we let the Holy Spirit renew our hearts and minds, we become the light we were created to be.