We can’t be just a little dirty.

Scripture Read: Titus 1:10 For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain. 12 One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. 15 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. 16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.

Application: The war between purity and defilement is an important one. There is one key that we need to understand clearly or we will fall prey to the lie of the enemy. It is a subtle lie – but a very good one … what’s the harm in being a “little” defiled? The question is never phrased that way but that is the meaning we have when we play with sin or even try to get as close as we can without actually stepping over the line. Scripture makes it clear we cannot just get a little dirty.

Defiled - μιαίνω miaínō - To stain with color as the staining of glass, to tinge, pollute, defile. ^[1]

Interesting etymology of this word – “to paint in colour,” “to spot,” “to stain,” first materially, then in the religious or cultic sense. μιαίνειν is used esp. for staining by bloodguiltiness. In primitive thought this was understood physically like dirt or infection. But the act does not affect only the doer. The doer transfers the stain to his fellow-citizens, the city, the temple of the gods. Cultic cleansing by water or sacrifice is needed to purge away the stain, In primitive thought there is no sense of the pricking of conscience. Spotting is particularly incurred by processes in which there was originally thought to be participation in the demonic, e.g., sexual intercourse or decomposition. Even bad news can make the ear unclean. Only later (in Plato, the tragedians) is staining felt to be a moral and spiritual matter.” ^[2]

In a true sense the idea of a stain is very appropriate – when you stain something it is very difficult to get all the traces of it out – if you can at all. How true this is with our Mind and Conscience – that is why sin is so very dangerous. We can allow it to stain us. At salvation we are set free and God removes the evidence of that previous life – but from that point on as we begin to walk with the Lord – we must be careful because the sins we become involved with – though still forgiven by our gracious Lord – can leave their scars (stains). I realize this verse is specifically speaking about those that are not believing and so they have never been released from their sin, but the principle of how dangerous sin is still applies. I have been porn free for some time now – but even so the stain remains. Jesus is so forgiving and has removed all guilt and even turned that sin into something I can help others with – but the stain is still there. I have heard it said we are free to do anything we want – except – escape the consequences! How true. It is great to see how the Lord leads us to be pure in all things, which does impact how we see things. Lord thanks and help us to stay far away from things that would stain our life. 

* Meditation Questions: How close do you live to sin? Do you ignore your conscience when it has doubts? Do you believe there are little harmless sins? Do you believe there are sins that only affect you? What does that say?

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^[1] Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary : New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.

^[2] Theological dictionary of the New Testament. 1964- (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley & G. Friedrich, Ed.) (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.