Purify Your Heart
17th FEBRUARY 2022
Blessed (happy, enviably fortunate, and spiritually prosperous — possessing the happiness produced by the experience of God’s favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His grace, regardless of their outward conditions) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God! [Matthew 5:8 AMPC].
The message of purity is one that has been preached since time immemorial, and why wouldn’t it be. We serve the purest God there is and there ever could be, who commands us to be pure, just as He is. Purity is an issue of the heart that subjects our actions in conformity to the commands of this pure God. However, let us not equate purity to virginity. Purity is the complete abstinence from all things morally frowned upon by God (regarding sexuality and other matters). A virgin on the other hand is one who has not yet had sex, however, said person could very well have engaged in everything else but.
This then begs the question; can a non-virgin be pure? We present to you today, that this is absolutely possible. Purity is your commitment to living by God’s standards of sex, regardless of your sexual history. Virgin or not, the walk of purity can and must be embarked on by everyone. God specialises in making the old new and the dirty clean. Isaiah 1:18 says: “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
Purity is an issue of discipline — just as you stay away from carbs on a keto diet. Purity is staying away from all things that promote lust and sexual immorality. This includes the types of music we listen to, the movies we watch and the conversations we engage in. Purity ensures that we stay far away from the things that ignite sexual immorality. The Bible after all tells us to flee from all guises of sexual immorality, just like our friend and brother Joseph did when he was enticed by Potiphar’s wife. To remain pure, we need to be fleeing. None of those weak “NOs” anymore when we are secretly enjoying the pleasure it brings to our flesh. No more skirting around the rules and asking how far is too far?
We can and must commit to being pure even in marriage because there, we have been commanded to keep the marital bed undefiled. To commit to purity, you must first understand that once your sins have been forgiven, they stay forgiven and forgotten! The devil no longer has grounds or basis to use your past against you. If you have, however, not confessed your sins, there is no better time than now to do so. You must secondly forgive yourself because God has forgiven you. Don’t let shame stop you from allowing God to use your story as a testimony to encourage others. Finally, once we decide to stay pure, let us commit to it for the long haul; it must be a lifelong decision.
From here on out, we must resolve to do it right. Let us do friendships right, let us do dating right. Courtships and marriages must also be done right. Right as in the eyes of God and not men. This is what the purity campaign is all about.
Father, we are grateful to You that the mistakes of our pasts do not disqualify us from being used by You, now and in the future. Thank you that you are giving us beauty for ashes, joy for sadness and Your glory for our shame. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Further Reading: Colossians 3:5 / 1 Timothy 4:12
Bible In One Year: Numbers [8–11]
