Please click here for the audio and click here for the video portions of this message.
MANGLED MEN. Titus 1:15-16. 01/22/2023. #3.
15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
1. The pure and the impure
a. Paul states a great principle that leads to understanding without total comprehension
a1. Believers see no reason why there are those who hate for the sake of hating, kill for the thrill of killing, or wrathful without cause
a2. There are people who are angry as a principle, bitter as a way of life, and mean for meanness sake
b. Hatred, abuse, and callousness are conditions of a fallen world with no reason, objective, or explanation
c. To the pure all things are pure
a1. “Pure” = our word catharsis (cleansing)
a2. To believers, everything has a righteous purpose and will bring God glory
d. Even the wicked are storing up judgment for themselves through which God’s holiness is manifested
e. Only the believer can wonder at God’s vast creation, marvel at his varied imagination, rejoice at his beneficent provisions, and awe at his grace to us
f. What the believer finds marvelous, the unbeliever finds mundane and ordinary (ex., flight)
g. To the defiled (stained, polluted, despoiled), every this is defiled (food, relationships, creation…)
a1. Nothing is sacred to the haters of God
a2. Atheists and hedonists mock the holy, defile the sacred, and hate the righteous
2. The fabric of folly
a. Paul states that even the minds and consciences of unbelievers are defiled
a1. There is no logic in the hatred of God
a2. Hatred of the one who creates and saves men is self-destroying and irrational
b. God gave men minds in which to reason
a1. There is no scenario whereby hating God is reasonable
a2. They train their minds to love evil (John 3:19) and hate that which is good (Jude)
c. 4 conditions of conscience
a1. THE GOOD CONSCIENCE – knows what is right and wrong (1 Peter 3:15-21)
a2. THE SEARED CONSCIENCE – a conscience damaged by continual sin (II Samuel 12)
a3. THE DULL CONSCIENCE – a cons. that is no longer responsive to the warnings and promptings of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:18)
a4. THE EVIL CONSCIENCE – a cons. that is at ease in doing evil, but uneasy about doing what is right (Is. 5:20)
d. The defiled conscience is an evil cons.
e. Ironically, these profess to know God
a1. Radical Jews who claim to be close to God (as Paul did as a persecutor of church)
a2. Many cults, radical Muslims, radical Hindus, and others murder in the name of God
f. The most dangerous men are radical religionists
3. Disallowed
a. Paul describes the defiled unbeliever with 3 terms:
a1. Denies God (rejects God) – they invent idols of their own design (Romans 1:18-25)
a2. Abominable (detestable, disgraceful) – do all manner of evil works
a3. Disobedient (refusing to submit) – they reject godly ways and refuse to obey God
b. These are disqualified (disallowed)
a1. To invent a different God than the one of the Bible is not to worship God at all
a2. No one can enter heaven on his own terms
c. The world is full of dishonorable rebels
Key verse: Romans 1:18-25
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.