99 44/100% Pure

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

When I was growing up, Ivory Soap boasted that it was 99 44/100% pure. I was impressed by that as a kid because that is about as pure as it gets. But now we want 100% purity—99 44/100% pure just won’t cut it in today’s market. Think of the commercials you see everyday: “100% pure mountain spring water,” “100% pure chewing satisfaction,” “pure cane sugar,” “100% pure local honey,” “100% Columbian coffee,” etc. Whether you talk about sugar, chewing gum, bottled water, or coffee, we put a high premium on purity. We love it, admire it, and, yes, we desire it.

I opened my handy computer dictionary to see that pure means “not mixed or adulterated with any other substance or material;” “free from contamination;” “without any extraneous and unnecessary elements.” As you see, purity is a good thing.

We expect and demand purity in the products we use. But few think about how good purity is for people too. When God created mountain springs, He didn’t put chlorine, dyes, and chemicals in it to muck it up; He put pure water in it. That’s why pure mountain spring water is so good—the way God intended the water to look, feel, and taste. The same is true for His children, Christ-followers. The last phrase of 1st Timothy 5:22 says, “...keep yourself pure.”

Keeping ourselves pure is easier said than done. Can I get an Amen here? Living a pure life means keeping out of your life the things God didn’t intend to be in there. Like the things mentioned in Colossians 3:8, “But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” Or like the things mentioned in Proverbs 6:16-19 “These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.”

A pure life, on the other hand, is pleasing to God. And, like pure honey or pure water, it’s healthier for you, and more beneficial to others as well. Ingredients in a pure life will include things mentioned in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is PURE [there’s our word again], whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Nearly everyone agrees that the purity in water or air is a good thing, but many of us have trouble admitting that purity in life is even more valuable. The apostle Paul told us what we need to do about it. “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” (2nd Corinthians 7:1)

Paul said that it is up to us to rid ourselves of impurities of body and spirit. We can do it, and God is eager to help. He has given us the Holy Spirit to strengthen the inner man. “I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength...” (Ephesians 3:16, The MESSAGE Paraphrase)