TO THE PURE ALL THINGS ARE PURE

Passage: Titus 1:10-16

Key verse: 15

NIV

Rebuking Those Who Fail to Do Good

10 For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk(A) and deception, especially those of the circumcision group.(B) 11 They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households(C) by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of Crete’s own prophets(D) has said it: “Cretans(E) are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”[a] 13 This saying is true. Therefore rebuke(F) them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith(G) 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths(H) or to the merely human commands(I) of those who reject the truth.(J) 15 To the pure, all things are pure,(K) but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure.(L) In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.(M) 16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.(N) They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.(O)

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Footnotes
  1. Titus 1:12 From the Cretan philosopher Epimenides
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Source: BibleGateway

ESV

10 For there are many who are insubordinate, (A)empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of (B)the circumcision party.[a] 11 They must be silenced, since (C)they are upsetting whole families by teaching (D)for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12 (E)One of the Cretans,[b] a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”[c] 13 This testimony is true. Therefore (F)rebuke them (G)sharply, that they (H)may be sound in the faith, 14 (I)not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and (J)the commands of people (K)who turn away from the truth. 15 (L)To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and (M)unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both (N)their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 (O)They profess to know God, but they (P)deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, (Q)unfit for any good work.

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Footnotes
  1. Titus 1:10 Or especially those of the circumcision
  2. Titus 1:12 Greek One of them
  3. Titus 1:12 Probably from Epimenides of Crete
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Rebellious people (1

-14)

A rebellious heart is displeasing to God because it springs from man's first rebellion against God (Ge 3). In Crete, there were some rebellious people who held on to their own ideas and refused to study the Bible; they deliberately tried to confuse and burden new Christians with unnecessary rules and rituals in order to get rich. They were good talkers, and they preyed on sincere believers. Cretans were known as liars and gluttons, so God's servant should rebuke them for their own good, to teach them sound faith. Sound faith is living according to the truth of God's word.

2. To the pure all things are pure (15-16)

If one who has a pure heart is rebuked according to God's word, he will accept it and repent and grow. If one has a crooked, unrepentant heart, then the rebuke of God's servant will only make him angry. Purity of heart belongs to those who have repented of sin, accepted God's forgiveness and been purified by Jesus' blood.

Prayer: Father, purify my heart and help me live according to the truth of your word.

One Word: A pure heart for valentine's day