Purity

Titus 1-3

In writing to Titus, Paul wants to ensure that Titus is following after righteous teaching. There were some in Crete that were teaching a righteousness based on the law, and Paul wanted to make certain that Titus did not follow after them, and in fact ran away from them. Paul's advice is still needed today. He said...

Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving.

Too many Christians today want to follow after those same mistaken Cretans by putting laws on believers... don't drink, don't gamble, etc. We make a big mistake when we try to legislate the parameters of Christianity. Make no mistake, a person in love with the Lord Almighty and possessing a pure heart would not dream of doing certain things, but not because of a man-made law, but because love leads them in a different direction. On the other hand, those without pure hearts and whose love for good isn't pure, cannot be justified no matter how many laws they follow.