Purify the Inner Man

Scott Beyer
12/07/23 - Bulletin

“To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.” (Titus 1:15)

The Jews had become so accustomed to fixation on ceremony and the avoidance of unclean foods that they missed some of the deeper lessons.  Food can never defile the soul of a man; in fact, nothing external can.  The defilement of someone must come from within.  It is only when the inner mind objectifies the opposite gender that lust is born, and it is only when the covetous heart springs up that another’s success turns into jealousy and rivalry.

Gluttony, greed, lies, and a thousand other evils spring up from the wellsprings of the human heart.  The battle isn’t without – it is within.  Once we subdue the inner man, the outer world cannot harm us, and we can find purity even in the darkest hours of our life.  Paul and Silas sang with reverence from a prison, and Herod mocked God from his palatial estate.  Give a godly soul any experience, and they can make it pure… give a villain any setting, and he can defile it.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

Today’s Reading: Titus 1:1-16

Questions to ask:

1. How is Paul feeling as he writes today’s passage? What is his mood?
2. What are the central themes in Paul’s preaching and teaching which are being emphasized, or how are the central themes in this epistle being emphasized in today’s reading?
3. How does our reading show Paul’s people skills, especially how he handles conflict?
4. What in this passage would change the lives of the believer(s) being addressed? How does it make me a better disciple?
5. How does this show the “good news” of the gospel? How can I share that with someone else?

This year, #Biblebites are following the life and writings of Paul.  If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2023-vision

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