Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotations are from the World English Version

All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for that man who creates a stumbling block (causes one to sin) by eating. -- Romans 14:20

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. -- Titus 1:15

The above scriptures are often used to say that a Christian is free to use whatever heathen idol he may so desire, believing that it is "purified" by use in worship of Christ or God. Thus many have excused their use of the cross (tau) in worship, as well as many other idols, especially the idols of the holiday seasons. However, let us examine this very closely.

The "all things" [panta - Strong's #3956] in Romans 14:20 referred to was food and drink. (Paul was not here referring to food offered to idols, which can only be eaten when we are not informed that the food has been offered to an idol. -- 1 Corinthians 10:25-27. It is not that the believer believes that the food itself has been defiled by being offered to an idol, but it is defiled in spirit by the conscience of the unbeliever doing the offering. -- 1 Corinthians 10:29.) The Greek word panta is often used, not to note absolutely everything, but all things that are being spoken of in the context. From this standpoint it would be well if it were translated with the English words these, this, or those added to to complete the thought, as "All [these] things are indeed clean."

In keeping with 1 Corinthians 8:4, we who have the holy spirit, and worship in spirit and truth, know an idol is nothing in the world. But to the worldly-minded, the glitter of idolatry fills their heart, so that the main emphasis of worship is connected of material things to which their hearts are strongly attached. No object is of itself defiled; however, this does not mean it is okay to take the objects of heathen worship and mimick the heathen idolatrous usages of such objects. This is the entire object lesson of 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; 10:7,14-33, wherein Paul is showing how we could be sharers in idolatry by eating food that is offered to idols (except where we not informed that it has been offered to an idol). The reason being that we [the saints -- the dedicated Christians] may not become partakers with them in their idolaty (even though we know an idol is nothing).

Neither idolatry nor any other sin is pure, nor should the Christian desiring to worship in spirit and truth adopt heathen idols to carry on worship after the flesh rather than the spirit, especially since we are directly commanded not to do. Thus to adopt the idols of the nations is disobedience to the commands given to Christians in the Bible.

Neither be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." Now all these things happened to them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come. -- 1 Corinthians 10:7,11.

The Israelites spoken of here had also adopted an idol, and wanted to use it to worship Yahweh, but did Yahweh view this idol as "purified" since it was to be used in worship of him? No, Yahweh rejected their conduct. And we are told that these things happened to them for an example to Christians.

When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation, and said, "Tomorrow shall be a feast to Yahweh." They rose up early on the next day, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace-offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. -- Exodus 32:5,6

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. -- 1 Corinthians 10:14

I wrote to you in my letter to have no company with sexual sinners; yet not at all meaning with the sexual sinners of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then you would have to leave the world. But as it is, I wrote to you not to keep company, if any man who is named a brother is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner. Don't even eat with such a person. For what have I to do with also judging those who are outside? Don't you judge those who are within? But those who are outside, God judges. "Put away the wicked man from among yourselves." -- 1 Corinthians 5:9-13.

Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, except of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: wherewith they think it strange that ye run not with them to same excess of riot, speaking evil of you. -- 1 Peter 4:1-4, KJV

Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality [literally, fornication], uncleanness, lustfulness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. -- Galatians 5:19-21.

Are any of these things Paul mentions in Galatians 5:19-21 to be included in Paul's statement: 'All things are pure'? Absolutely not!

But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God, and I don't desire that you would have communion with demons. You can't both drink the cup of Yahweh and the cup of demons.

You can't both partake of the table of Yahweh, and of the table of demons. Or do we provoke Yahweh to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? -- 1 Corinthians 10:20-22 (Divine Name supplied)

For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God. -- 1 Thessalonians 1:9

Little children, keep yourselves from idols. -- 1 John 5:21.

Another verse referring to all things [panta] are pure is Titus 1:15. The context is speaking of uncircumcision. (verse 10) It also speaks of Jewish myths and commandments of men. (verse 14) Yet we would not think of including these Jewish myths and commandments of men in the panta of verse 15. Some were teaching Jewish fables and commandments of men, seeking to bind believers to circumcision of the flesh, which Paul had spoken of in other letters. "They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, unto every good work reprobate." (verse 16)

Paul is certainly not saying that all sin is pure to one who is pure, nor is he saying that idolatry is pure, for such would contradict all the rest of the Bible.

What agreement has a temple of God with idols? -- 2 Corinthians 6:16.

Evidently the Corinthians, believing that an idol is nothing, thought it would be okay to eat things that had been sacrificed to idols. But the apostle showed we can be involved in idolatry even if we believe the idol is nothing, for not all so believe. To the vast majority of the Gentiles in Corinth, their idol-gods were to be worshiped and revered. To encourage this belief by actively participating in food offered to idols would make us sharers in the idolatrous offerings. Actually, what Paul does in 1 Corinthians 10:14-32 is show that we can be participators in another's idolatry, if we by our actions give them reason to believe that we are condoning their idolatry. If we are eating food sacrificed to idols, the apostle argues, aren't we participating in communion with demons? (verses 16-22) He then goes on to say that while all these things are lawful (that is, all food is lawful for us to eat, for the food itself is not contaminated by its being offered to an idol), not all these things are not expedient. The only instance he gives whereby a Christian should eat food that has been offered to idols is when the Christian is not told that this is so, and the Christian does not need to ask if any food has been offered to idols.

Some of the early Christians in John's day had begun to eat food sacrificed to idols, which God condemned. -- Revelation 2:14,20.

To knowingly continue in the participation of an idolatrous heathen celebration continues and shares in the disobedience begun in the apostasy.

Likewise, mankind is still sinful, of which he states that they changed the truth of God for a lie, and reverenced [Sebazomai - Strong's #4573] and served the creation more than the Creator. Such reverence and servitude toward material things is carnal worship, not worship in spirit and truth, and is idolatrous. -- Romans 1:25.

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