Titus 1 -"To the Pure All Things Are Pure!" What Does This Mean?

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Paul wrote this letter to his co-worker Titus probably about 60-65 A.D. It was in between Paul's first and second prison terms. 

The letter’s theme is the unbreakable link between faith and practice, belief and behavior. This truth is the basis for Paul’s criticism of false teaching, his instruction in Christian living, and standards he sets for church leaders. - ESV.org

Paul had recently completed a journey to Crete. He had left Titus there to teach the new church (see Acts 14:21–23). False teachers were already a problem in the church (Titus 1:10–16), and the letter focuses primarily on that issue. The description of elders (1:5–9) and of proper Christian living (2:1–10; 3:1–3) appear to be worded for intentional contrast with these false teachers. The content of the false teaching is not fully explained (as in 1 Timothy). There appears to be a significant Jewish element to the teaching. The opponents come from “the circumcision party” (Titus 1:10). They are interested in “Jewish myths” (1:14) and perhaps ritual purity (1:15). Paul’s primary concern, however, is with the practical effect of the false teaching. They taught ritual purity, but they lived in a way that proved they did not know God (1:16).

1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, 3 and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior, 4 To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Paul's introduction to this letter to Titus contains many of his familiar salutations. Paul sees himself as a "servant of God". Paul had given up his rights to serve God. God called Paul to serve as an "apostle of Jesus Christ". An "apostle" is a "messenger". Paul was a messenger to God's elect. Though Paul preached to everyone, he knew only the elect would respond to the Gospel. These God foreknew before the beginning of time.  

 This letter was written to Titus, but it was also written to the Christians on the island of Crete. Paul knew this letter would be publicly read among the churches on the island. So, in the structure of opening the letter, Paul took great care to tell the Christians of Crete what his credentials were, and where he stood on important issues. Paul didn’t think like a politician who often responds to what the crowd wants and to what pleases the crowd. - Guzik

Appointing Elders Who Love What Is Good

5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. 6 An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7 Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8 Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

When Paul left Crete, many had been evangelized and come to faith in Christ. There were several towns where these people lived, so Paul instructed Titus to appoint elders in each town to shepherd these new converts. Remember the "elders" were the spiritual leaders, who also taught these new believers the message of Christ. 

Paul states the qualifications for an elder, which are similar to those he instructed Timothy to use. Once again we are reminded that leadership in the church is a privilege not a right. Being a leader in the church comes with a higher degree of accountability with how a leader acts in private and in public.

If the person can't manage their household at home, they probably have no business managing God's household. Not only does an elder need to be of good character, they also need to be doctrinally trained as well. Why? Because like in the other towns where the church was started, false teaching was infiltrating the church quickly. Unless the elders knew sound doctrine, they would not be able to spot the heresies being brought into the church. As we have said before, "The best way to spot a lie is to know the truth!" 

The list in the following passage means that God has specific qualifications for leaders in the church. Leaders should not to be chosen at random, or just because they volunteer, or because they aspire to the position, or even because they are “natural leaders.” Leaders should be chosen because they match the qualifications listed here. It is fine if a man thinks he is “called.” Yet he must also be qualified. - Guzik

“It should be carefully noted that churches cannot safely remain without the ministry of pastors, so that, wherever there is a considerable body of people, a pastor should be appointed over them. In saying that each town should have a pastor he does not mean that none should have more than one, but only that no town should be without pastors.” (Calvin)

Rebuking Those Who Fail to Do Good

10 For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. 11 They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”[c] 13 This saying is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth. 15 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. 16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

Part of being a pastor or spiritual leader in the church is that sometimes they will need to confront those causing problems and dissension. Similar to the church in Galatia, there were a group of people Paul calls "the circumcision group". They were teaching Gentile believers needed to be circumcised and apparently even charged money to do it. It was bad enough to be teaching false doctrine but even worse to be profiting off of it. 

Rebuking Those Who Fail to Do Good

10 For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. 11 They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”[c] 13 This saying is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth. 15 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. 16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

The Cretans knew that they were in need of Christ. Their own prophets admitted they were outwardly sinful in many ways. They came to Christ by repenting of these behaviors, and now these legalists were telling them that Christ's death was not enough for them. Paul says something important, 

"To the pure all things are pure!" - 1:15

The legalistic Jews and the Pharisees focused on the outside of a person. They tried to use rules and regulations to change a human heart. Even when Pharisees did the right things, they did them for the wrong reasons because their hearts were impure. This reminds us that one can do a lot of good deeds, even go to church and bible study, but have an unconverted heart. 

Paul stresses that being a Christian does not mean one needs to deny or control every bodily desire, especially those which were God given. I.e. Eating, sexuality, recreation etc... 

Of course, Paul does not mean that obviously sinful things (pornography, illicit drugs, and the li`ke) are pure. Paul has in mind those things which are permitted by Scripture, but forbidden by legalists in a mistaken attempt to earn favor with God. - Guzik

“The ‘all things’ refers to everything which is non-moral; such as appetite and food, desire and marriage, exchange and commerce, weariness and recreation, and so on through all the varied realm of life. To the pure all these things are pure, and they will be maintained in purity. To the impure, every one of them may be made the vehicle and occasion of impurity.” (Morgan)

Where do you tend to be more legalistic in your Christian faith, where you are tempted to focus on what you do rather than who you are in Christ? Why is it important to focus more on the condition of your heart, than trying to maintain the appearance of holiness? What does it mean for you when Paul says to Titus, "To the pure all things are pure!" How do you know what is pure versus what is impure in your own life?