What Does It Mean To Be "Pure"?
"Hard Words" Series
"Purity" was a hot topic in my youth. Church leaders and Christian school teachers continually railed on the topic of fleeing lust and maintaining sexual "purity" (1 Cor. 6:18, 2 Tim. 2:22). I was confused because I was always told what not to do (and because I was a rule-follower, this seemed pretty straightforward), not so much what "purity" actually meant. The teaching lacked a broader perspective, and never answered a range of questions:
A Broader Definition
In recovering from my past, I learned that "purity" has a much larger application than simply "fleeing lust". In fact, because we humans are all sinners in thought and deed, there is absolutely no way we can "keep ourselves pure" in any area of life short of God's miraculous, supernatural power. Truly, God is the source of purity, not us!
Purity Comes From God
According to Scripture (2 Sam. 22:27, Ps. 12:6, Ps. 18: 26, Hab. 1:13, James 3:7), purity is associated with God. He is the Source of purity, as evidenced by His words, wisdom, and actions. Purity is not an innate human trait, nor is it something to be earned. Romans 3:23 affirms that all have sinned; none have attained God's holiness.
Purity Reflects God's Nature
When the Holy Spirit does His work in our lives, our hearts are changed. With changed hearts, our motivations and behaviors (actions) change. Only then can we exhibit (albeit imperfectly) God's nature. Philippians 1:9-11 shows how this process works: Jesus' righteousness, when practiced, bears fruit in our lives, causing us to choose what is good and pure.
Purity Is a State of the Heart
Purity manifests itself in our heart condition, starting with the "fear" (awe) of the Lord (Psalm 19:9). From this place of wisdom and devotion proceeds evidence of the Lord's work to conform us into His image (1 John 3:2-3):
Psalm 12:6 gives us a word-picture of purity: it is like silver, heated seven times in a furnace so that the "impurities" have risen to the top to be skimmed off. All that is left from this process is "pure" silver: undiluted and unadulterated. It is not a mixture of this-and-that; it is unified and whole, fully integrated.
My flute is .925 sterling silver, which is about as pure as it gets. My younger students play silver-plate-over-nickel flutes. The difference? A sterling silver flute, in the hands of a master, resonates a beautiful, clear, focused sound, whereas a flute of lesser quality and value is limited in the myriad nuances of sound it can produce. The purer the metal, the better the sound. You could say a pure silver flute has a high level of integrity. The metal is "one", not a mixture. It is "unified" and "whole". For humans, it carries the idea of "single-mindedness", focus, and clarity of thought and action, as opposed to dilution, distraction, or "double-mindedness".
An Interesting Twist
Did you catch that implication in Psalm 12:6 that suggests that purity is a result of fiery trial? 1 Pet. 1:6-7, Rom 5:3-5, and 1 Pet. 4:12-13 confirm this truth. We gain wisdom and purity of heart by the hard experiences we endure. We're slow learners, we humans, but with God's help, our process to purity conforms us to the image of Christ, giving rich and pleasurable rewards!
Far from being a work of the flesh, purity is a gift from God that inclines our hearts toward Him. As He plucks out the weeds of sin and lies from the beautiful flower garden of our personhood, He conforms us to the image of Christ, from one glory to another, purifying us into who He created us to be.
"Heavenly Father, help us direct our focus to you as to a light in a dark place, with single-mindedness toward your truth, grace, and love. May we receive your pure word so that our hearts may be inclined to do Your will without distraction, selfish desire, and double-mindedness. Create in us a clean heart, O God, that we may glorify you in our works. May the beauty of the Lord be upon us, that we may show forth your praise!" Amen.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8
If you're interested in a deeper dive on the study of purity, you'll be encouraged by Jay Stringer's book Unwanted. Get it HERE.
Get free weekly articles in your inbox by clicking HERE. Your information will never be shared.
©2023 Julianne Knapp, First published 3.14.23
"Purity" was a hot topic in my youth. Church leaders and Christian school teachers continually railed on the topic of fleeing lust and maintaining sexual "purity" (1 Cor. 6:18, 2 Tim. 2:22). I was confused because I was always told what not to do (and because I was a rule-follower, this seemed pretty straightforward), not so much what "purity" actually meant. The teaching lacked a broader perspective, and never answered a range of questions:
- Could anyone regain "purity", if it were lost?
- What about victims of rape? Were they now "impure"?
- Whose responsibility was it to maintain "purity"? The girl's?
- Were parentally-arranged marriages the answer to staying "pure"?
- Does God forgive people who lose their "purity"?
- Are "impure" people permanently removed from Christian service?
- What is God's posture toward "impure" people?
- Is there hope for "impure" people?
- Are "pure" people more spiritual than "impure" people?
- Is "impurity" the cardinal sin?
A Broader Definition
In recovering from my past, I learned that "purity" has a much larger application than simply "fleeing lust". In fact, because we humans are all sinners in thought and deed, there is absolutely no way we can "keep ourselves pure" in any area of life short of God's miraculous, supernatural power. Truly, God is the source of purity, not us!
Purity Comes From God
According to Scripture (2 Sam. 22:27, Ps. 12:6, Ps. 18: 26, Hab. 1:13, James 3:7), purity is associated with God. He is the Source of purity, as evidenced by His words, wisdom, and actions. Purity is not an innate human trait, nor is it something to be earned. Romans 3:23 affirms that all have sinned; none have attained God's holiness.
Purity Reflects God's Nature
When the Holy Spirit does His work in our lives, our hearts are changed. With changed hearts, our motivations and behaviors (actions) change. Only then can we exhibit (albeit imperfectly) God's nature. Philippians 1:9-11 shows how this process works: Jesus' righteousness, when practiced, bears fruit in our lives, causing us to choose what is good and pure.
Purity Is a State of the Heart
Purity manifests itself in our heart condition, starting with the "fear" (awe) of the Lord (Psalm 19:9). From this place of wisdom and devotion proceeds evidence of the Lord's work to conform us into His image (1 John 3:2-3):
- Others-centered: James 1:27
- Good-seeking: Phil. 2:14-15
- God-fearing: Psalm 24:3-4
- Loving: Phil. 1:9-11
- Undefiled (here again, this is a gift of God, not a human "work"; even sin is redeemable through repentance 1 John 1:9): Hebrews 13:4
- Clean: Phil. 4:8
Psalm 12:6 gives us a word-picture of purity: it is like silver, heated seven times in a furnace so that the "impurities" have risen to the top to be skimmed off. All that is left from this process is "pure" silver: undiluted and unadulterated. It is not a mixture of this-and-that; it is unified and whole, fully integrated.
My flute is .925 sterling silver, which is about as pure as it gets. My younger students play silver-plate-over-nickel flutes. The difference? A sterling silver flute, in the hands of a master, resonates a beautiful, clear, focused sound, whereas a flute of lesser quality and value is limited in the myriad nuances of sound it can produce. The purer the metal, the better the sound. You could say a pure silver flute has a high level of integrity. The metal is "one", not a mixture. It is "unified" and "whole". For humans, it carries the idea of "single-mindedness", focus, and clarity of thought and action, as opposed to dilution, distraction, or "double-mindedness".
An Interesting Twist
Did you catch that implication in Psalm 12:6 that suggests that purity is a result of fiery trial? 1 Pet. 1:6-7, Rom 5:3-5, and 1 Pet. 4:12-13 confirm this truth. We gain wisdom and purity of heart by the hard experiences we endure. We're slow learners, we humans, but with God's help, our process to purity conforms us to the image of Christ, giving rich and pleasurable rewards!
Far from being a work of the flesh, purity is a gift from God that inclines our hearts toward Him. As He plucks out the weeds of sin and lies from the beautiful flower garden of our personhood, He conforms us to the image of Christ, from one glory to another, purifying us into who He created us to be.
"Heavenly Father, help us direct our focus to you as to a light in a dark place, with single-mindedness toward your truth, grace, and love. May we receive your pure word so that our hearts may be inclined to do Your will without distraction, selfish desire, and double-mindedness. Create in us a clean heart, O God, that we may glorify you in our works. May the beauty of the Lord be upon us, that we may show forth your praise!" Amen.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8
If you're interested in a deeper dive on the study of purity, you'll be encouraged by Jay Stringer's book Unwanted. Get it HERE.
Get free weekly articles in your inbox by clicking HERE. Your information will never be shared.
©2023 Julianne Knapp, First published 3.14.23