Titus 1:15

To the pure all things are pure: but to them that are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

To the pure all things are pure ... As Stibbs well said, "Things here does not refer to things which are morally wrong,"[30] but to objects. Unwashed pots (not ceremonially washed), non-kosher food, graves, and other things considered cermonially unclean are the type of things in view here. Gould stressed the misuse of such a passage as this:

Someone utters a vile, indecent, vulgar or profane story or remark; and another more sensitive soul expresses disapproval; whereupon still another justifies it by saying, "To the pure all things are pure."[31]

Of course, Paul was not speaking of speech, behavior or conduct, but of things. Lenski also found in this a reference to 1 Timothy 4:4,5, where Paul stated that "every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, etc."[32]

Their mind and their conscience are defiled ... Chrysostom said with reference to this that, "When the soul is unclean, it thinks all things are unclean."[33] Such defiled persons are quick to see in the innocent actions of others cause for censure or blame.

[30] Ibid.

[31] J. Glenn Gould, Beacon Bible Commentary, Vol. IX (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1969), p. 673.

[32] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 906.

[33] Chrysostom as quoted by White, op. cit., p. 190.