Purity

"On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people, and in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the assembly of God, 2 because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 So it was, when they had heard the Law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel." - Nehemiah 13:1-3

When you hear the word purity, what do you think of? Free from dirt or im-PURE-ities? Free from moral fault or guilt? Chaste? Pure blood or unmixed ancestry? A virgin? These are some of the things listed in Meriam-Webster's dictionary. How about us? Are we "pure?"

In the verses above, the Book of Moses was talking about mixed ancestry. God wanted Israel pure. Not following after false gods, not intermarrying with other people groups. In the New Testament pure has a different meaning - sinless, spotless.

"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

22Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God." - 1 Peter 1:18-23

As we look in the mirror, do we see someone who is pure? No. Do we see purity in our politicians? Our newspapers? Our newscasts? Our schools? Our churches? I don't see it.

What has happened to us? Where is the passion? The weeping? The anguish over our sin and disobedience to God? We have it too easy in this country. We want everything "for free!" We want everything given to us. Why? Because WE are our own gods. We don't need anything.

Just like in the Old Testament, God will remind us of our disobedience. The day is coming, and it is coming soon, when it will be too late to repent and seek God. Unless we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ we ALL will experience TRUE anguish.

Our faith in Jesus is what makes us pure. We become the virgin bride, pure and dressed in white, through our faith, not through works. Why? Because Jesus was pure and spotless, without blemish. He died and imputed all those qualities to us . . . in the eyes of God.

Let's get on our knees today and thank God for His forgiveness for we ALL have sinned mightily. We are far from pure. We have no purity of our own. But Jesus . . . thank God for Jesus!

A Call To Anguish - David Wilkerson