To The Pure, All Things Are Pure

"To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted." (Titus 1:15)

So, what does it mean? Does it mean that if I am pure in heart, that everything I do will be rendered automatically pure? Does it mean that a person's lust, greed, immorality, cursing, cheating and lying are all "pure" if the person committing them is pure within? I think that any rational, thinking person dedicated to pleasing the Lord knows better than that; so then, what does the statement mean? It is Scripture, and therefore it is true.

Paul's statement "To the pure all things are pure" must be taken in the context of the problem at hand. There were false teachers "teaching things they should no teach." From this epistle, and others, we know exactly what they were teaching.

Paul was dealing with rebellious men of Jewish backgrounds who were trying to bind portions of the Old Law on new Gentile converts. Among these laws were the dietary restrictions that divided meat into two groups, "clean" and "unclean". Under the Old Law, this had pictured for God's chosen people, the Jews, the concept of how they must maintain a separateness from the world and its sin. Today, while we are no longer required by the New Covenant of Christ to keep these Old Covenant dietary regulations, we are still commanded to keep ourselves separate from the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 1 John 3:3-5).

The false teachers were saying that some meat continued to be impure. Paul says, in this context, that "To the pure all things are pure." He was talking about food, not that we could mix with sin and still maintain our purity (cf. 1 Timothy 4:1-5; Colossians 2:16-17). To even attempt to apply this statement to impure or immoral behavior is a gross misapplication of the Scripture. According to the context, by the grace of God, we are to leave behind those things which are not in harmony with His will (Titus 2:11-15; 3:3-7).
"...but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Both their mind and conscience are defiled." (Titus 1:15b).

Under the Old Law, if one who was ceremonially pure came into contact with an unclean thing, he or she would become unclean. These ceremonial cleanliness/uncleanness rules did not necessarily mean an unclean person had sinned. For example, touching a dead body was not a sin, but it would render one unclean for a time. Again, these laws were shadows illustrating the spiritual principle that God's people must always keep themselves separate from sin. This principle remains true today even though we are no longer under the ceremonial law of Moses that illustrated it.

Haggai once used this ceremonial law to illustrate how all of God's laws work (Haggai 2:11-14). When we touch what is morally unclean, we become unclean ourselves. If we disobey God's moral laws and then think that because we do some good deed that it will render us morally clean we are wrong. So many people think that is how it works; that one may disobey God's moral laws and still be right with God because of some contribution to a charity or something. But that is not how or why we are right with God. We are not, in this sense, justified by works (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8-10). On the contrary, doers of good deeds, like Cornelius, must be saved by God's grace by fearing God and doing what is right (Acts 10:1,2; 34-35). All of us need to do what Cornelius did; obey the gospel of grace (Acts 10:48; 11:14). Without this obedience of faith, we are lost. Nothing but the blood of Christ can take away our sins. Many immoral persons attempt to salve their conscience by joining some good deed crusade while continuing to live in sin. It will not purify them.
"...in all things, show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine dignified." (Titus 2:7).

Contrasted with the above, the godly man or woman teaches the truth, and then also dignifies it with righteous living (cf. 1 Timothy 4:12). It is with good deeds that we adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect." (Titus 2:10). The proof is in the doing.

It is because of the hope we have in Christ that we are motivated to take such a stand even if it is presently unpopular. "And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." (1 John 3:3). We are indeed grateful for the good things with which God has blessed us. "To the pure, all things are pure."

"It is always right to believe the best of the purposes and intentions of others.  Your outlook towards others is an indication of your inner condition.  To the pure, all things are pure."