To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in words they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
--Titus 1:15-16 (NKJV)
From the daily Bible reading on September 19, 2013 of Proverbs 6:6-11; Titus 1:1-2:8; Isaiah 2-4.
After Paul left Timothy in Ephesus, he proceeded on through Macedonia to Crete, where he left Titus to supervise the churches there. He went on to Nicopolis, writing this letter to encourage Titus either from there or from Macedonia. His next stop was Troas where he was suddenly arrested, taken to Rome a second time and imprisoned, and finally beheaded. (Please see "Deceiving Spirits", "Soldiering On", and "Itching Ears"). Titus was a Gentile by birth and converted through the ministry of Paul. He traveled with Paul to Jerusalem for the Apostolic Council and served as his emissary to the church in Corinth on the third missionary journey. While his relationship with Titus may not have been as close as what he shared with Timothy, Paul still considered Titus "my true child in a common faith" (please see verse 4).
After his opening greetings in this rather short letter to Titus, Paul briefly gives emphasis to the appointment of elders in the church, which he felt important enough to leave Titus behind to accomplish. Paul lists the qualifications elders should possess and be held to before addressing offenders in the church. In this he is referring to those who had supposedly been converted into believers of Christ but who rebel against His teachings, who engage in empty talk, who work to deceive others, who teach that keeping to the law is the only way to sanctification and salvation. They were obviously too interested in money, "teaching... for the sake of dishonest gain" (verse 11), and paid too much attention to Jewish fables and those who spread false doctrine.
This leads to today's focus verses and a comparison of types. Paul simply says of the righteous that to the pure all things are pure. Paul is speaking of the internal state of those believers who heed and adhere to true doctrine, to the teachings of Jesus. They have a purity of mind and heart and spirit. To them is granted purity and their works and offerings are accepted by God, just as were Abel's. But to the aforementioned offenders, the defiled, nothing is pure. Their very thoughts and feelings are corrupt. They claim to believe in Jesus but their acts and words deny Him and all He taught. They are disobedient to Christ and an abomination to God. The works of their lives and any offerings they might make are forever unacceptable to God, as were Cain's. Their lives are worthless and forfeit.
The implications are as clear to us as they would have been to Titus. We can obey God's voice and adhere to the teachings of His Son Jesus and be pure. Or we can rebel against what Jesus offers and seek only to satisfy our own agenda, thus dirtying and defiling ourselves. The choice is ours to make. Let us choose like Joshua, when he pledged, "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15.) Amen.
Lord Jesus, Your teachings are clear to those who will see, Your words true for those who will hear. Only through You may we come to the Father, only in You lies the path to salvation. Heavenly Father, please give us the wisdom to discern between Your truth and false doctrine spread by those who would deceive. In the holiest name of our Redeemer and Master Jesus we pray. Amen.
After his opening greetings in this rather short letter to Titus, Paul briefly gives emphasis to the appointment of elders in the church, which he felt important enough to leave Titus behind to accomplish. Paul lists the qualifications elders should possess and be held to before addressing offenders in the church. In this he is referring to those who had supposedly been converted into believers of Christ but who rebel against His teachings, who engage in empty talk, who work to deceive others, who teach that keeping to the law is the only way to sanctification and salvation. They were obviously too interested in money, "teaching... for the sake of dishonest gain" (verse 11), and paid too much attention to Jewish fables and those who spread false doctrine.
This leads to today's focus verses and a comparison of types. Paul simply says of the righteous that to the pure all things are pure. Paul is speaking of the internal state of those believers who heed and adhere to true doctrine, to the teachings of Jesus. They have a purity of mind and heart and spirit. To them is granted purity and their works and offerings are accepted by God, just as were Abel's. But to the aforementioned offenders, the defiled, nothing is pure. Their very thoughts and feelings are corrupt. They claim to believe in Jesus but their acts and words deny Him and all He taught. They are disobedient to Christ and an abomination to God. The works of their lives and any offerings they might make are forever unacceptable to God, as were Cain's. Their lives are worthless and forfeit.
The implications are as clear to us as they would have been to Titus. We can obey God's voice and adhere to the teachings of His Son Jesus and be pure. Or we can rebel against what Jesus offers and seek only to satisfy our own agenda, thus dirtying and defiling ourselves. The choice is ours to make. Let us choose like Joshua, when he pledged, "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15.) Amen.
Lord Jesus, Your teachings are clear to those who will see, Your words true for those who will hear. Only through You may we come to the Father, only in You lies the path to salvation. Heavenly Father, please give us the wisdom to discern between Your truth and false doctrine spread by those who would deceive. In the holiest name of our Redeemer and Master Jesus we pray. Amen.
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