Purity: Does it matter?

''And everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure."
I  John 3:3

I thank God for the conviction, and for pressing into my heart the importance of purity. Being fruitful yet impure can be compared to an apple which is rotten inside. Apostle Paul commanded Timothy to keep himself pure (I Tim. 5:22). He also admonished him, and this admonition goes to all young believers too, "to set the believers and example in...purity..." (1 Timothy 4:12). Paul knows that God wants us to be pure in His sight.

"Who shall ascend to the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands, and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully"
Psalms 24:35
Not only in our lifestyle God wants us to be pure, but also He wants us to have a pure heart. Pure conduct springs from a pure heart. The Lord Jesus Himself said in Matt. 5:8 that "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." It was a promise to those who keep their hearts pure.

"Finally brothers... whatever is pure... think about these things"
Philippians 4:8

Here, Apostle Paul mentioned a list of good things by which we must set our minds upon. It includes purity. god does not want us to walk in the futility of our minds. In our darkened understanding, the way we used to think in our old life (Eph. 4:17-18). He wants us to have a pure mindset for it pleases and glorify Him. A pure mind affects the way we see things which is around us, " 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" (Titus 1:15).
A pure mind is a healthy mind which delight in the Word of the God, for it is pure (Ps. 12:6).

Lastly, the book of James 4:8 tells us to purify ourselves as we draw near to god. How do we do that? It is important for us to realize that in our sinfulness, we cannot purify ourselves on our own. The book of Proverbs 20:9 asks, "Who can say 'I have made myself heart pure; I am clean from sin?'" So, if that is what the Word of God says, what is all these talk about purity of lifestyle, heart, and mind? These things will bring us to the sacrifice done by the Lord Jesus Christ, His redemption for us at the cross of Calvary. "How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God" (Heb. (9:14) .

Only through the cross of Christ will we find our purification from sins. As I John 3:3 says, " And everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure". Put your hope in Him.

There is a War: Kill or Be Killed

I Peter 2:11

"Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh which wage war against your soul."

Our true nature in this life as long as we are here on earth waiting for the coming of our Saviour, are exiles and sojourners. Hebrews 13:14 says "For here we have no lasting city, but we seek a city that is to come."

Our portion is not in this life, yet the passions of the flesh which abides in this world has its principle in us. In our everyday lives there is an invitation for us to indulge to its desires and sin. It offers us pleasure followed by destruction. And we see many christians, including ourselves, falling as prey to its trap, and its deception has led others to want to turn back from their calling, because of their guilt and shame. Sin conceals God's forgiveness and mercy and it will leave you hopeless and wandering with nowhere to go.

Are we missing out on something here? I think yes. "...abstain from the passions of the flesh which wage war against your soul..." There is a war happening here, deep in our souls. It happens each time the passions of this world collides with our passion to live for God, and each time that it happens, one of the two has to die.

All of us have besetting sins and weaknesses and we groan inwardly for our full redemption (Romans 8:23). But as long as we are here on earth as exiles and sojourners, we must make war against its passions.

"Put to death what is earthly in you" (Col. 3:5)

A holy violence against sin and its deception. Spare no mercy against sin even though it tries to convince and persuade you with words as sweet as honey and as smooth as oil. Each day is a war. Each moment is a war. In every thought there is a war. In every surge of emotion there is a war. There is a war in our eyes and the things we look at. As Puritan John Owen puts it, "Cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you."

Fighting at your side,

Pastor Jonathan