Paul instructs us not to let myths and the traditions and rituals of others distract our attention from the central truth of the Gospel. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that makes all the difference in our lives. It is believing in Christ that sets us free, and it is abiding in that truth that keeps us free. After telling Titus to rebuke those who might add to, or take away from, the Gospel, he tells them not to be distracted either from this central purpose of God’s revelation. Do not turn your attention from God’s Word to the myths, stories, and practices of others at the expense of focusing on God’s Word. Living a life of true freedom depends on abiding in God’s word. Our focus must be undiluted by laws, undistracted by myths, and unblurred by tradition. He then talks about those whose attention is singular on Christ. He says, “To the pure, all things are pure; but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” That is Paul’s way of saying, “If your windshield is clean, the view is clean. If the windshield is mud, everything looks muddy.” And yes, some people cannot see a sunset without thinking someone is hiding a conspiracy behind the clouds.
There is confusion and corruption whenever something is added to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But to those who take the step of complete trust and faith in Christ, unadulterated by any works, have certainty and peace about their status and destiny. John intends for all believers to have this certainty when he says, “I have written these things to you who believe in the Son of God so that you will know you have eternal life.” It is only when the complete requirements of salvation have been met that there is purity of faith. Jesus is the one, and the only one, who can meet that standard. When we insist on adding some ritual or practice to the saving grace of the Gospel, we open the door to confusion and corruption. That is the theological version of writing a simple recipe, then letting your neighbor add three ingredients, your cousin add two more, and eventually you are so far from the original that you do not know if you are baking bread or making automotive sealant.
Things that keep us from acceptability with God are the things deemed unclean. To the believer in Jesus, Paul said, “I am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself” (Romans 14:14). Abstaining from this, or performing that, or practicing the other will neither cleanse a lost sinner nor make them acceptable to God. All external practices avail nothing for salvation. Those who live the most ascetic lives or those who live the friendliest lives are still defiled and will remain so until Jesus Christ becomes their savior. God did not send His Son to die and pay the penalty for our sins to become one of many ways to heaven. The way into Heaven is through Jesus, the door. “No one comes unto the Father but by me.” Anyone who claims he can know God apart from Jesus is, according to this statement, a false teacher making a false profession. There are many who attempt to convince us that the things that God has given to us for our enjoyment are sinful. They are wrong. Paul tells Timothy, “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.” First Timothy 4:4