Unto the Pure...the Wayfarer 1/4/18

Unto the Pure (1 0f 3)
1/4/18

“Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.”

(Titus 1:15)

Today, we take our message from one of the shorter epistles of the apostle Paul. I beg the reader’s indulgence, as we will eventually attempt to cover the entire book in order to give us guidance as to what Paul’s message was, to Titus, and us as well.

This may require a series of messages taken from this book because of the richness of the precepts given by Paul to Titus, and handed on to us for our own enlightenment.

Before delving into the scripture, it is helpful for the reader to know exactly who Titus was, and Paul’s reasoning in writing this epistle to him.

Titus, like Timothy, was a co-worker with Paul in the initial evangelism of various Gentile cities, and was instrumental in establishing churches in those cities.

Unlike Timothy, who was half Jewish and half Gentile, Titus was the first full blooded Gentile to be chosen for this evangelism, and was of Greek extraction.

There are several mentions of this young preacher in other epistles including Galatians and Corinthians.

When the Jews in Jerusalem demanded that Titus be circumcised, Paul used him as an example of the freedom from the Law, which Christ, through His sacrifice made possible.

After having already accompanied Paul on several evangelical missions, Paul left him in Crete to establish and give guidance to the church there.  This is where begin today’s scripture:

“Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior;

To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior:’

(Titus 1:1-4)

In this opening greeting Paul reminds Titus that they share a common mission that is far greater than that of just living out a life in accordance with the world around them, but is a mission given by God himself.

He also affirms the hope of eternal life promised by our God who is incapable of lying; stating that that promise was given before time, as we understand it even began.

He concludes the greeting with the wishes for a blessing for Titus, beginning with grace, mercy, and peace, all of which are gifts only available through God, and gifts that we should ardently seek for ourselves as well.

He continues with the reason for which he left Titus in Crete:

“For this cause, left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God: not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just holy, temperate;

Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.”

(Titus 1:5-9)

Paul tells Titus that there is a need to bring others into the fold to help teach the teachings of Christ, and lists qualities that are necessary for this mission.

 The first is that they be blameless, in other words that they cannot be accused of breaking the laws of their own society or of violating the things that they themselves teach.

Note, that blameless, cannot include sinless since there is no one who may truthfully make that claim as he reminds Titus as we go farther into the scripture.

 Next is that they must be the husband of one wife, not polygamous as was the custom among the Cretians, Greeks and many other Gentile nations of the time. The reason for this admonition is simple. Polygamy demanded the sharing of affections and time among many.

In order to truly love as is demanded by Jesus, the division and argumentativeness of such relationships would require more attention than was necessary and distract them from the things that their attentions should be focused on to accomplish the tasks set forth by the church.

Next listed is having faithful children not accused of riotousness or being unruly.

They were expected to first be able to teach and admonish those of their own respective households in such a way that their teachings be taken seriously by others.

The reasoning here is that if a man cannot take care of his own household,  and be responsible enough to teach his children correctly, then he is also incapable of leading others in the manner required by God.

Paul continues enumerating these qualities stating that a bishop must not be self-willed, in other words, too stubborn to succumb to the will of God in their lives, not just teaching the things that are in their own self- interest.

Next is not soon angry. In other words, there is a need for patience with others in order to qualify, and a need to be forgiving and understanding if they fail to immediately grasp what is being taught.

Next is not given to wine. Drunkenness dims the wits and muddles comprehension and therefore prevents the ability to teach or exemplify the qualities of Christianity.  Excess use of alcohol leads to lack of self-control, which is required in order to meet all the other qualifications.

“No striker,” is given to remind us that our goal is not to punish or abuse, but to show love and compassion in order to strengthen our relationship with Jesus and our fellow human beings.

Not given to filthy lucre is a reminder that all that is done is to be done for love, not for profit as we find many even today doing in our midst.

Being a lover of hospitality is exactly what it says, offering succor to those in need of a roof, a meal and our friendship.

“A lover of good men,” directs us to be aware of the need for fellowship with those who are like-minded among us.

Sober is a way of telling us that we need to take teaching others about Christ seriously, and always to be mindful of the perceptions that others have of us.

“Just,” means to treat all we come into contact with, in the same manner that we treat those we call friends, with equal compassion, and equal temperance.

Holy is again a reminder to steep ourselves in the scripture, know and obey God’s laws, and to assist others in the knowledge and practice of what Christ taught.

Temperate once again refers to self-control in all things.

The ninth verse is an admonition to be steadfast in faith and not to use the teachings of men to add to, or detract from, the teachings given us by Christ.

 The purpose of this is so that our witness will be made effective to those around us by use of truth, (sound doctrine).

When we speak to others in exhortation we must do so in the confidence that what we teach is of God, not of man, thereby being able to convince others of our sincerity and the need for them to accept his teachings, and also overcoming arguments that they may be able to attempt to use against those teachings.

We need to remember that Titus was preaching to a Pagan nation given to the worship of Pagan gods, driven by Pagan principles and governed by Pagan laws.

 If those chosen to be leaders were to be effective, they had to first acknowledge the truth of Christ and the lie of the Pagan gods they had believed in, and the reality of God’s laws as opposed to the laws that they had been taught from birth.

Paul continues on with the warning of what Titus would face among these heathen people:

“For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses teaching things which they ought not to for filthy lucre’s sake.

One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and the commandments of men, that turn from the truth.”

(Titus 1:10-14)

Paul warns Titus that there always have been and always will be those who will teach any tenant, any belief, any fable to enrich themselves and even quotes one of the Cretian poets and prophets to prove his point.

There are still evil beasts and gluttonous slow bellies among us who would steal our very souls if they can make a dollar out of the deal they made with the devil. There are many today whose self-interests allow them to preach and teach false doctrine that is more easily acceptable to the masses than is the truth of the gospel and God’s Laws.

Titus was to, and we are to, rebuke those teachings wherever they are to be found, and to teach sound doctrine, so that faith in Christ and HIS teachings are what is prevalent among us.

Paul Continues:

“Unto the pure, all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”

(Titus 1:15&16)

Titus’ mission was one that many of us are familiar with today. He was left in Crete to “win hearts and minds,” but more importantly he was to win souls.

As any soldier who has ever been faced with this mission of winning hearts and minds is aware, the reality of such a task is far greater than is the concept, and far too easily failed when being misled on purpose by those we are attempting to bring over to our way of thinking.
  

The first thing one must do in order to truly accomplish this mission is to understand that those we are trying to win will not think or perceive the world in the same manner that we do.

As was Titus, we must be familiar with the idiosyncrasies of the way they speak and think.

Titus had this advantage, having been raised a Greek.

Once we gain this advantage, we face the task of teaching that the morality and teachings of men are not necessarily those of God.

If we are able to achieve this goal, then and only then are we certain that we are able to teach Christ and salvation.

No one can be made pure without having first come to the knowledge of what purity is to God, not what each society defines as purity.
 

The reference to even the conscience being defiled is exemplified by what we saw in Nazism in Germany,  in what we see occurring today in Islamic republics, and in other nations who have been taught from birth a way of thinking that is totally foreign to Christianity.

Until they are taught true doctrine, and come to actually believe in Christ’s sacrifice for our salvation, they are incapable of understanding that doctrine.

If they truly accept what we teach, they will act in a manner indicative of FAITH! If they do not they will continue to be reprobate and observe the teachings of men by which they have been brought up despite a profession of a knowledge of our God, turning like cur dogs,  biting the very hand that would feed their souls to share that salvation with them.

If we ever are ever to be able to reach the reachable and teach the teachable, we must first do so by example.

 A life lived as a Christian is a far better sermon than any ever preached.

Pray, preach, teach, but most of all BE the Christian you profess to be.

Stand fast and hold the line against all that would detract from the true salvation given us by Jesus’ sacrifice.

Be aware of the requirements to be a Christian, and LIVE them!

Be forgiving and understanding of others and of yourself with the knowledge that despite your humanity, perfection is attainable, not in this life, but through Christ in the next!

It is this perfection we must strive for, even though we sometimes will fail because of our humanity.

 I will close here for now, with the promise to continue the teachings contained not only in the first chapter, but to eventually take the reader through to the end of this epistle.

Salutations with the love of a simple sinner saved by grace through the blood sacrifice of my Savior, Jesus

2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

AMEN and AMEN
the Wayfaarer