Today's passage points out how our world view, shaped by God's teaching through scripture and through the Holy Spirit's working in our hearts and minds, fundamentally varies from the view held by those who do not believe. We know this from numerous other scriptures, such as 1 Corinthians 3.18-23, but this is still something we likely wrestle with. Do you look at people and see their faults or ones made in God's likeness and His works in progress (Genesis 1.27, Ephesians 2.10)? Does your vision stop when you perceive the first part of the beatitudes (Matthew 5.3-12), or does it continue on to the blessing God gives those living through those experiences? In Matthew 21.42, would you see the unusable stone or the cornerstone? Would you be like Joshua and Caleb in Numbers 13-14 and see Canaan as ripe for the taking, a place flowing with milk and honey, or would you be like the rest of the spies and cower at the giants of the land?

There is no shortage of bad in this fallen world. In spite of all that sin, brokenness, and death--in fact because of it--God is at work in the world. This is evident to those who are saved and look for it. May the word of God train us to see His goodness at work and see the sin only as something to be conquered by Christ Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and the power that raised Him from the dead.

[Titus 1.15-16]

1.15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?

+ Why do the pure see all things as pure? [v. 15]

+ Why do the defiled and unbelieving see nothing as pure? [v. 15]

+ How is it evident which people are pure and which are not? [v. 16]

+ How can we support one another to be fit for good work? [v. 16]

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?

+ What is my next step?