All Things Pure

In Daily Devotional by J.R. Hudberg

Theme of the Week: Titus

Bible Verse: 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. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. Titus 1:15-16

Scripture Reading: Titus 1:10-16

There’s a massive maple tree in our front yard. I have no idea how old it is, but it’s definitely mature. Well over 50 feet tall, it’s been around for a while. For the last 4 years, we have been drilling holes and hanging buckets. We get about a gallon of syrup when all is said and done. It’s more than we can use in a year, but the process is fun, and there is something about that pure sap that comes from our own tree that we turn into pure syrup.

Purity is obviously an inherently good thing. It means that something is uncontaminated. There is nothing that pollutes, taints, tarnishes, or detracts from the fundamental essence of a thing.

Paul talks about the difference between pure and impure things in his letter to Titus. He makes the interesting claim that to the pure, all things are pure. Now, that the “all things” needs to be properly understood is obvious. Of course, there are things that are impure in and of themselves: bigotry, violence, racism, pornography. Those things are not pure in themselves, nor can they be purified by a “pure” person. Instead, what Paul is saying is that pure people, only engage in pure things. So that all that a pure person does is pure because they only act on whatever is good.

But to the impure, nothing is pure. This also has to be properly understood. This is like a dirty glass. It does not matter how many times water has been purified before it goes in the glass, as soon as it touches the edge of the glass, it is tainted and dirty. Even what was pure, has become tainted. It is the purity of the vessel that impacts the purity of the object.

Prayer: Lord, you have given us so many things and so many of them are good. But some things we have tainted and distorted. We have taken your good gifts and twisted them into impure things. Help me to reflect the purity that you have given by engaging in the good and pure. Help me to see where I am impure and cleanse me.

Reflection: In what ways do you engage in pure activities?


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About
J.R. Hudberg
J.R. Hudberg is a writer and executive editor for Our Daily Bread Ministries in Grand Rapids, MI, where he lives with his wife and their two sons. He has written Encounters with Jesus and Journey through Amos.
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J.R. Hudberg
J.R. Hudberg is a writer and executive editor for Our Daily Bread Ministries in Grand Rapids, MI, where he lives with his wife and their two sons. He has written Encounters with Jesus and Journey through Amos.