What does purity mean to you? Does it mean there are no faults? Is it one hundred percent composed of one component without defect? Are there gradations of purity? Do you view yourself as being pure?
We may remember commercials advertising pure cane sugar. We might look at a bottle of water to see if it’s pure spring water. Diamonds are rated by both size and the purity of the stone. But people who are pure are a rare find.
Why is it so hard to find someone who is pure? Perhaps it is we are not putting our hope in Jesus Christ. We see in today’s passage that when we put our hope in Him, we are purified. In other words, the more we hope in Him, the more we put our faith in Him, the more we learn about Him, the more we choose to follow His example and teachings, the purer we become.
That’s a bit scary, isn’t it? Our actions, attitudes, and language are an outward display of our hope in Jesus. You see, putting our hope in Jesus is not merely wishing on a shooting star. It is an active hope that continues to pursue being like Him. Our hope is combined with our knowledge, faith, and trust in Him. Therefore, as our hope becomes stronger, we are purified to be more like Him.
I pray we all choose to put our hope in Jesus. I pray we choose to strengthen our faith and hope. I pray each one of us desire to be purified and become more like our Savior. Hope in Jesus. Put your faith in Jesus. Learn more about Him. Choose to follow Him. Become pure as He is pure.
1 John 3:2-3 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hopein him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
Marty Pressey 