Purity
- The quality or state of being pure, freedom from impurities, freedom from anything that debases, contaminates or pollutes.
- No admixture or modifying addition
- Ceremonial or ritual cleanses
- No guilt or evil
- Physical Chasity, virginity
- Cleanness or spotlessness
Greek word- Hagneia- Chasity or clean. Hebrew word- Zaku- Innocence
Mathew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.
When our hearts are free from idols and the things of this world that pull us away from the lord. When our gaze is transfixed on him and him alone. We will see Christ as he is, with no confusion.
2 Corinthians 11:1-4
Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the [a]simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!
Paul points out to us in this scripture that Christ is looking for us to have a pure devotion to him and him alone. He urges the saints to purify ourselves from spiritual adultery that takes us away from the simplicity of the true Gospel message. When we try to assist God or reinterpret scripture, the dilution happens, and the Gospel is made more complicated than it is. The adding and subtracting from the word makes the ideology tainted and removes the original intent of our Lord.
1 John 3:2-3
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of [a]God! Therefore the world does not know [b]us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
When we have a sincere devotion and love to Christ this hope purifies us. When Christ Is revealed to us by holy spirit, we are able to see Gods true feelings concerning us. His nature and character towards us and our lives. When we see God as he is, we are able to truly receive from him when he says his plans are to prosper us and not harm us. Like when a father says to their child, I am here for you and will take care of you. The child completely believes in their father and knows in their heart their father is there for them. The child is able to see their father as he is, his true nature and character towards them. This is the way God wants us to see him as our father and friend. Knowing that we can completely trust him at his word no matter what is thrown on us. This causes our faith in the father to be pure when we can see him as he is. He not only cares for us but he prunes the things in our hearts that cause us not to see him as he is because of his love.
Zechariah 13:9
I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’
When there is uncertainty about our God, we can not receive from him. When we go to him, he purifies us and cleanses us from everything of the world that prevents us from seeing him. He removes and corrects false ideologies and philosophies concerning him that we may be able to see him as he is. When we see him as he is, this empowers us to live a life after Christ knowing the reward for our obedience will be great.
1 Peter 1:6-9
6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Walking with God is like being purged in a gold refinery spiritually. A gold refinery is a place in which gold is separated from other metals or residues. Separating the gold into its true form that is cherished by many. This material is heated to molten metal and injected with chlorine gas to separate the gold from impurities. This is a real-life example God gave in the scriptures about refining his people like Gold so the true radiance of his glory in us can shine through our lives. This is not an easy process for most but necessary if we want to become all God has for us in this life.
James 1: 2-4
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces [a]patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Daniel 11:35
35 and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.
The testing of our faith makes us into better men and women of God that we may display him to the world. Our purity in God is what he has called us to for his glory and for our lives to be prosperous in him physically, mentally and emotionally. He has called us to a victorious life in him in every capacity, but for us to get to this point we have to be refined in him. Since he is a loving father, he calls his children higher so we can begin to live as he has ordained us to. In him we have all we need for life and godliness.
Amen!
