Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good. [Titus 1.15-16]
It is easy to understand what verse 16 above means, but verse 15 is a little different story.
Verse 16 speaks of the hypocrisy of those who claim they know God, but, by their lives, tell a much different story. "Such people" are those in verse 15 who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted.
"Corrupted" would indicate that the minds of those who are corrupt and unbelieving have been filled or infiltrated with thoughts that are not pure - thoughts that are not right. Impure thoughts must be understood in context of Paul's instruction to Titus in what he said just before verses 15-16:
For there are many rebellious people who engage in useless talk and deceive others. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. They must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth by their false teaching. And they do it only for money. Even one of their own men, a prophet from Crete, has said about them, “The people of Crete are all liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons.” This is true. So reprimand them sternly to make them strong in the faith. They must stop listening to Jewish myths and the commands of people who have turned away from the truth. [Titus 1.10-14]
The purity Paul spoke of in verse 15 has everything to do with faith and truth as revealed in verses 10-14 above. For further context, the useless talk and deception Paul mentioned was the rebellion a church leader should mitigate as an effective leader. The useless talk and deception was not limited to, but included, the insistence upon circumcision. Now, with this established...
While circumcision's origins are deep in the history of God's people, the New Way Jesus brought to earth revealed that circumcision had evolved into something quite the opposite of what it originally was meant for. Ready for this? Circumcision was initiated to be an act of faith in God. In fact, circumcision pleased God. However, as time evolved and God revealed more about faith in Jesus Christ, circumcision morphed into something entirely different becoming a reason not to trust in Jesus. This is no different than when Israel encountered deadly snakes in the wilderness and God gave them Nehushtan (the bronze snake on a stick) to look upon and be healed (see Numbers 21.4-9). Years later, King Hezekiah destroyed Nehushtan because the people had begun to worship it rather than God Who gave it (see 2 Kings 18.1-4). The very thing that was a gift from God became an idol and had to be eliminated. This is precisely what occurred with circumcision!
Neither circumcision nor Nehushtan were the pure embodiment of faith and truth. They indeed initially served a purpose for faith and truth, but eventually both became stumbling blocks to pure faith and truth. What was meant to foster faith and truth became "corrupt and unbelieving." Because God was at the origins of both, those who idolized them claim they know God but, in fact, know only their idols as evidenced in the way they live. What they idolized corrupted their minds and consciences rendering them "corrupt and unbelieving."
The predictable tendency of idols is to turn people away from the truth by their false teaching. Not ironically, money is involved too.
And here it is... Today's institutions of debt, insurance, medicine and technology perfectly fit the descriptions Paul gave Titus of what circumcision's false (and idolatrous) teaching did to the purity of faith and truth. And, I will add that these institutions are remarkably similar to Nehushtan in their intended purpose versus their digression to becoming idols. People today claim they know God Who, arguably gave these institutions through man's ever-developing knowledge, but deny him by the way they live even declaring anyone who does not use these institutions as foolish! Suddenly, faith in God alone has become impure!
Circumcision is not really a faith problem for modern believers today. However, just like Nehushtan, God's people (not to mention everyone else) have become dangerously dependent upon debt, insurance, medicine and technology. Oh, they claim they know God, but when need arises, their lives show what they really trust in by what they turn to first: debt, insurance, medicine and technology.
Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. [Titus 1.15]
What if we substituted the word "pure" above with the words "faith and truth" (as Paul implies in the context of Titus 1.10-16)? It would look like this:
Everything is faith and truth to those whose hearts are faith[ful] and truth[ful]. But nothing is faith and truth to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. [Titus 1.15]
Does Titus 1.10-16 have any meaning to us today? Every reader will have to decide for themselves. I cannot help but believe that circumcision simply represents any and everything we tend to trust in (instead of God), but excuse our idolatry claiming, "God gave it."
"God gave it" is no excuse for idolatry.
Father, You have been faithful to reveal how idolatrous humanity is dating all the way back to the Old Testament, up through the apostle Paul's time, and extending unto today. Help us to "do our homework" in Your Word to have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to understand all You are saying to us through Your Word as it absolutely relates to the repetitive history documented by Your Word. It would seem humanity today is deeper in idolatry than at any time in history. God please open our eyes and be glorified as we repent and return to pure faith and truth in You - trusting in Jesus Christ alone for our every need.
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