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Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. (NKJV)

Fundamental purity is in essence, God. God is the definition of purity. God is what all things are compared to in order to measure purity.

Applied purity occurs the moment we are saved. God imputes (adds; places; applies) the righteousness (purity) of Christ to us supernaturally. From that point on, He quite literally sees us a pure, worthy of salvation, worthy of coming into His presence.

Practical purity is the process of what the Bible calls “sanctification”. It is the daily process of the Christian becoming more and more like Christ, who of course is Purity (God). It is the daily increase in our life of righteousness, Godliness and holiness… becoming more pure.

Let’s wrap up this series on purity today looking at false purity first; then closing this topic with the final return to complete purity by those who are saved. Two false forms of purity are comparative purity and deceitful purity.

  • Comparative purity – This type of purity is a false purity, obtained by measuring purity against an impure standard such as other people, or society in general. This is the type of purity that deceives us into thinking we’re “not that bad” compared to the other guy. It’s the “at least I’m not as bad as the other guy” mentality.
    • Matthew 15:14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” (NKJV)
    • Psalm 10:4 The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts. (NKJV)
    • Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? (NKJV)
  • Deceived purity – this is purity perceived from ignorance or false teaching. We may sincerely seek a purity that is less than God’s standard if we do not soak ourselves in His Word.
    • 2 Peter 2:1-2 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. (NKJV)
    • Hosea 4:6a My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. (NKJV)

The last two types of purity I want to define, describe where mankind started at creation, and the purity that will be restored to those who are genuinely saved by Christ:

  • Created purity – this kind of purity is the purity that God creates from Himself. The original creation of the universe and man was pure until sin corrupted it.
    • Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (NKJV)
    • Genesis 1:10b And God saw that it was good. (NKJV)
    • Genesis 1:26a Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;” (NKJV)
    • Genesis 1:31a Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. (NKJV)
  • Reestablished purity – eventually the heavens and earth will be recreated and saved men will receive a glorified body recreated in eternal purity to exist with God. The theological term for this is “glorification”.
    • Romans 8:30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (NKJV)
    • Philippians 3:20-21 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. (NKJV)
    • 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. (NKJV)
    • Job 19:25-27 For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (NKJV)

Mankind was created in the image of God’s purity. Adam enjoyed perfect harmony, communication and fellowship with God. God’s plan is to bring us back to that state and glorify His Son through it. Don’t wait to meet Christ in eternity before you begin your journey back to purity! We are to be walking that path now, every day increasing in righteousness; becoming more and more like the Pure One attempting to be indistinguishable from Him in holiness.

It will not happen overnight and there is not threshold that can be surpassed. In this life there will always be one more step closer to holiness and purity; until that Great Day when God will clothe us in perfect purity for all eternity.

Father, create in us a longing for the Glorious Day when we will be made perfectly pure again. And until that day comes, instill in us an insatiable hunger to increase the level of our holiness each and every day through growing knowledge and obedience concerning You, Amen.

Contemplation: Do you long for heaven and the purity that will be ours someday? Is your life marked now by increasing purity and holiness?

Application: Meditate on heaven. Practice thinking about heaven as REAL and let it change your perspective on this life.

  1. What is the most obvious Bible truth you have learned today?
  2. What change in your life needs to be made concerning this truth?
  3. What specific thing will you do today to begin that change?

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