Glory to God! Hallelujah! With great assurance we can say that the Lord has been good to us during the past week and He will remain good to us as we continue on our spiritual journey from earth to glory. As I was reading the Scripture passage we chose for our SftW meditation this week (Titus 1:15-16 [mentioned above]), I was reminded of two of my seminary friends who were more closer to me than many of the other friends. In our somewhat large class, we three friends stayed closer and spent a little more time than any of our other friends. Among the three, one person was a too nice and very much friendly guy (of course, he was a curious but genuine guy) and the other friend was little bit aggressive and slightly waspish guy (but, of course, he was not a dangerous at all). The third person was me, and I was kind of friendly with everyone around me but I maintained slight distance from everyone else, which means, unlike my other two friends, I was neither too soft nor too aggressive but preferred to cope up with almost everyone in any given situation (I acted based on my personal conviction that is rooted in the Biblical teaching). However, somehow we three came to know each other as we joined the seminary and our casual meetups and talks paved way to develop a friendship between us that continued for the rest of our time in the seminary. After being together for four years (1988-1992), we all finished our studies well and graduated and went on our own ways in order to carry out the ministry for which each of us were called. I was privileged to deliver the valedictory at the Class of 1992 Graduation Ceremony.

What caused me to recollect a glimpse of our seminary journey right now is because I wanted to tell about my friend who was too nice and very friendly in relation to the Scripture passage we chose for our SftW meditation this week. The reason we all became his friends as well as anyone else who came across his way or noticed him or came in contact with him was nothing but his amiable and warmhearted personality. His friendly nature attracted people to flock around him whenever there is an opportunity and instantly he become friends with almost everyone whom he come across in life. His physical stature and friendly look and friendly smile and friendly approach attracted even strangers to him. We all used to tell each other that he is a nice guy and very much understanding. Whenever any of our friends go through any troubled situation in their life, he will be the first to get to the person and give them comfort and counsel and support. However, his very own life situation had been not so good. When we came to know more and more about him, it really surprised us. He was coming from a very poor background and his family was struggling to meet their everyday needs. If anyone saw him or evaluated him based on his behavior and his pleasant appearance, they would never think that he is from such poor background. One thing is true about them that, though they were financially poor, they were very rich spiritually (means, they were very rich in their relationship with God). Although our friends’ family did not have much resources to satisfactorily survive on, they were contented with what they had and were happy with whatever the Lord God blessed them with, which makes them different from other people. They, as a family, understood the Biblical concept of trusting God and being content with what they have. For instance, Elijah was fed by the ravens and the widow at Zarephath (1 Kings 17:2-6, 7-9); God’s promise to king David (2 Samuel 7:18-19); Peter was rescued from the prison by God’s angel (Acts 12:3-17), and so on. Apostle Paul was another example who experienced God’s immeasurable grace and mercy in his life and ministry; he testified: I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength (Philippians 4:12-13). The love and joy and grace and peace that our friend and his family experienced from God would overflow and spread its aroma to everyone around them wherever they go. We always admired them for being joyful and peaceful despite all the struggles and sufferings and hatreds and conflicts and disagreements and hostility and aggression and opposition and so on, that were going on.

As we read in the Scripture passage that To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure (Titus 1:15a), for my friend and his family, they found satisfaction and happiness with whatever the Lord God provided for them and whoever the Lord brought into their lives. Thus, they were happy at home with one another (that is, within their family members), they were happy outside with everyone else (that is, their neighbors and friends) and they were happy with everyone who come across their life (that is, everyone else including strangers). Wherever our friend moved around, he found love and joy and peace, and he spread the aroma of God’s love and faithfulness to everyone around him in order to brighten up their lives. This was the case with all the family members in their home. They all spread the aroma of God’s love and faithfulness to everywhere they moved around. They were joyful even while they were going through tough life-situations, they were happy while they were suffering, they were at peace even when there was no peace around them, they were satisfied even while they had a shortage of necessities. So, they found joy, peace, happiness, and satisfaction wherever they moved around or whoever come across their life. In a nutshell, my friend and his family shared the love and joy and grace and peace they received from God with everyone who came across their life without any hesitation.

Apostle Paul stated: 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 … (Titus 1:15-16). Apostle Paul specifically speaks about two different categories of people in this passage: (i) those who are pure (Titus 1:15a) and (ii) those who are corrupted (Titus 1:15b). Let us briefly focus on Paul’s statement that says: To the pure, all things are pure (Titus 1:15a). According to the Biblical teachings, we can understand that a person maintains good relationship with God by obeying all the righteous laws and decrees and commands the Lord God has given them and puts them in to practice on a day-to-day basis.  They love the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soul and with all their mind and with all their strength and love their neighbor as themselves (Deuteronomy 6:5; Mark 12:30-31).  They also trust in the Lord their God in every life situation they may go through.  All of these qualities make up what would be considered as a righteous person.  Numerous individuals in the Scripture were considered as righteous; for instance, Abel (Hebrews 11:4); Seth (Genesis 4:25-26); Noah (Genesis 6:8-9; Ezekiel 14:14, 20); Abraham (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3); Job (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3; 42:8; Ezekiel 14:14, 20); Daniel (6:22-23; 9:21-23; Ezekiel 14:14, 20); Elizabeth and Zechariah (Luke 1:6); John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11; Mark 6:20); Joseph (Matthew 1:19); Simeon (Luke 2:25); and so on. According to the New Testament teachings, anyone who (i) confesses their offenses against the Lord God, and (ii) whose sins are forgiven, and (iii) who are purified from all kinds of impurities, and (iv) cleansed by the blood of Christ, and (iv) accepts Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of their life, and (v) abides in Him for the rest of their lives, and (vi) lives according to God’s will and for His purpose will be counted as righteous. Such people just live for the glory of God instead of trying to make their life better here on earth, as Apostle Paul urged the believers in the church at Corinth saying Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others (1 Corinthians 10:24). Such people will be pure in heart and their word and deed will prove it.

Perhaps, Apostle Paul has spoken that which he had said in Titus 1:15 (that is, To the pure, all things are pure) from the context of people having various kinds of food, including food sacrificed to idols, or in relation to marriage (Corinthians 8:1-13; 1 Timothy 4:1-5); or anything as such. Apostle Paul rebuked the deceivers who entered the church and confused many believers with Jewish myths and mere human commands and other man-made rules and so on. Those things are wrong and they are against the will of God. Paul was trying to convey that anything we do within the will of God and as per the righteous laws and decrees and commands were not wrong, as he stated: For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer (1 Timothy 4:4-5). For instance, Apostle Peter saw a vision where God commanded him to eat all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds that were being let down to earth from heaven. However, for Peter those things seemed to be unclean because he never ate any unclean things. But God said to him, Do not call anything impure that God has made clean (Acts 10:15 [10:9-16]). Purity of heart is important for God. Let us read again the passage we chose for our meditation and analyze and meditate for a better understanding (Titus 1:15-16)

• • To the pure, all things are pure (1:15a)
  • To those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure (1:15b)
  • The corrupted people’s minds are corrupted (1:15c)
  • The corrupted people’s consciences are corrupted (1:15d)
  • The corrupted people claim to know God, but by their actions they deny Him (1:16a)
  • The corrupted people are detestable (1:16b)
  • The corrupted people are disobedient (1:16c)
  • The corrupted people are unfit for doing anything good (1:16d)

When we read Titus 1:10-14, we can understand that those whose hearts are corrupted are rebellious people and they engage in meaningless talk, they are people of deception, they neither follow sound doctrine of Christ nor the apostolic teachings, they merely emphasize human (man-made) commands and force people to follow them, and everything they desire will be established as a standard of life. In addition, they reject the truth. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him (Titus 1:16). James wrote: For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice (James 3:16). Those who have good and positive intentions in life will be pure in their heart as well as pure in their word and deed before God and man. Jesus taught His disciples and other followers the following: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8). King David prayed to God that Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:10).

Dear friends in the Lord, the Scripture states that If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here (2 Corinthians 5:17). Let us believe that we are a new creation in the Lord Jesus Christ and let us behave according to that. Let live a life worthy of our calling. May the Lord God Almighty bless us all! Amen!