Question 1

What is purity?

Accepted Answer

Romans 12:9Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.James 1:27Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.Purity means loving what is good and hating what is evil. It’s more than passive naivety—it’s a choice to imitate Jesus wholeheartedly.Luke 11:37-40As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table. His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom. Then the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and wickedness! Fools! Didn’t God make the inside as well as the outside?”Purity isn’t about polishing our outward appearance. It’s about who we are all the way through.Matthew 22:35-39One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”Matthew 23:26“You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.”The Pharisees pursued purity through rules. They thought that those rules could keep the sin inside them from leaking out into the open. Jesus’ approach to purity was completely different. He called his followers to clean out the sin inside their hearts first, filling their hearts with a love for God and others.Matthew 5:21-22“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment!”Matthew 5:27-29“You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”Jesus took sin very seriously. To prevent sin from bearing fruit, he called us to pull sin out by its roots. Our minds and hearts—the thoughts and emotions we live in each day—are where purity starts. Such purity is not limited to sexual purity. It includes the way we think about and treat people in all the contexts of our lives.John 8:34-36Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”Romans 6:1-2Should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?Hebrews 10:14By that one offering he [Christ] forever made perfect those who are being made holy.Sin is a terrible, terrible thing. That’s why Jesus didn’t only come to save us from sin’s consequences—he came to save us from sin itself. After we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are forever made perfect in God’s eyes through Christ’s sacrifice. But we are not yet fully free from sin’s influence. We are still in the process of being purified to become holy, as Jesus was. Purity is complete freedom from sin, and Jesus taught us—by his words and by his example—that such freedom is worth great sacrifice. One day in eternity, we will be pure and free. That’s a promise God gives us.Ephesians 5:3Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.Philippians 2:14-15Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.Colossians 3:5So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.Sin undermines purity. The Bible often highlights sexual sin and greed as two forms of idolatry that make us impure, but impurity isn’t always something dramatic. Often, it’s subtle yet dangerous, such as ingratitude or pride.Matthew 9:10-12Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.”1 Corinthians 15:33Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”Galatians 6:1Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.Purity requires discernment but not isolation. The purpose of our lives on earth is not only to avoid sin—it’s to do good and bring others to Christ. We should be cautious of friendships that lead us into temptation, but we should never consider anyone to be out of the reach of God’s love and redemption.Psalm 51:7-10Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me—now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.Romans 3:10As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one.”Titus 3:5He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.Hebrews 10:14By that one offering he [Christ] forever made perfect those who are being made holy.None of us are pure through our own merits. All of us are stained by sin. But God loved us anyway. Through Jesus, the guilt of our sins is wiped away—we are perfect in God’s sight. God’s work in our lives doesn’t end there. Through God’s work in us through his Holy Spirit, our hearts can change. And one day, we will be pure and holy, completely free from sin. Purity shouldn’t be a struggle we endure out of fear. It should be a process we pursue in hope.

Question 2

Why is purity so important?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 24:3-6Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob.Matthew 5:8“God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.”Romans 5:8God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.Purity doesn’t earn God’s love. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. But when we have pure hearts, our relationship with God has freedom to flourish and grow in a way it can’t when we are hampered by lust, greed, selfishness, and pride.Romans 6:1-2Should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?Ephesians 5:1-3Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. . . . Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.Titus 2:14He [Jesus] gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.When God saved us, he did not save us so we could merely wait around until we die and go to heaven. He also gave us a fresh purpose for our lives. For a Christian, purity is a desire to be like Jesus in thought, word, and deed.Galatians 5:22-23The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!1 Timothy 4:12Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.2 Timothy 2:21If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.When we are living pure lives, walking in step with the Spirit, it is easier for God to work through us to bless those around us.

Question 3

How can I possibly be pure when I keep messing up?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 51:6, 10You desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there. . . . Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.Psalm 86:11Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.Romans 12:1-2So, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.1 Timothy 1:5The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.Purity isn’t a scorecard we keep. It’s a posture of our hearts and minds. Psalm 51 was written by David after his adultery with Bathsheba. When David recognized his sin, his response was not to try to earn back God’s favor through good deeds. It was to come to God broken and in humility, asking God to change his heart. God answered David’s prayer, and he can answer ours, too.Philippians 3:12-14I [Paul] don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.1 Peter 1:22You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.1 John 2:1My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.We are free from the guilt of sin because of what Christ Jesus has done. However, we are not yet free from sin and temptation entirely. Christians are imperfect. We sin, but our response to sin should not be despair. God calls us to confess our sins, ask for forgiveness, and take steps to do better in the future. But then it’s time to press on and forget what is behind us. It’s hard to look ahead to where God is leading us when we are too busy looking back on a failure that’s already been forgiven.1 Corinthians 1:7-8Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.Philippians 1:6I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.We can have confidence in our salvation, and we can be confident that God is not finished with his work in our lives. One day we will be completely pure, free from every sin. In the meantime, we follow his Spirit one step at a time.

Question 4

What if I have not been living a pure life?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”1 Corinthians 6:15Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never!Galatians 1:10Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.Many things can corrupt the purity of our devotion to Christ. Sexual sin is one, but greed, pride, and many other distractions and sins also can take Christ’s place in our hearts. Impurity, regardless of the form it takes, is never something to be taken lightly. It is in direct contradiction with the gospel and requires repentance.2 Corinthians 7:10The kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.Hebrews 10:26If we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins.Some Christians fear that once they have messed up, they have completely lost the clean slate Christ gave them. They fear they have squandered their second chance. This is one of Satan’s many lies, and it creates a worldly kind of sorrow. Such people feel bad about sin, but they have accepted sin as part of who they are. Sometimes, they decide that since they are already sinful, they may as well enjoy that sin. If we deliberately continue in sin, either out of despair or rebellion, that is a rejection of the hope of the gospel.Acts 3:19Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.Philippians 3:12-14I [Paul] don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. . . . but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.1 John 2:1My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.Becoming like Christ is a process. The apostle Paul himself wasn’t perfect. But instead of fixing his eyes on his failures of the past, Paul fixed his eyes on his hope ahead. Repentance isn’t simply turning away from something wrong. It’s turning toward something good.Luke 15:3-7So Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? . . . there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!”Luke 15:18-20“‘I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’ So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.”No matter how far you wander, your heavenly Father loves you. He has many children, but none of them can take your place in his heart. He is always waiting for you, calling you back to him with open arms.Mark 2:15Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?” When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”Scripture says that many of Jesus’ followers lived impure lives before they met Jesus. These followers weren’t praised for their righteousness or their credentials—but they were praised for their humility and their desire for God. Your sin does not disqualify you from following Jesus any more than sickness disqualifies you from seeing a doctor. Recognizing and repenting of your sin is the first step toward letting Jesus heal you.Romans 6:1-6Should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? . . . We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.Hebrews 12:1Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.Imagine a prisoner chained to the wall. A man comes in, opens his cell door, and unlocks his manacles. The prisoner is freed! But instead of leaving and entering his new life, the prisoner picks up his chains and tries to drag them with him. It can be hard to release our old sin patterns and guilty pleasures, but ultimately, they are a burden to us. As long as we try to carry those sins with us into our walk of faith, we will never experience the full freedom Christ longs to give us.Psalm 51:2-4Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.Matthew 5:23-24“If you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.”1 Peter 3:7In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.Ultimately, all sin is against God. However, God wants us to seek reconciliation with those we have hurt. Impure actions often affect others, and when we take responsibility for those actions, we are showing that our repentance involves more that feelings of guilt. It proves that our repentance includes a genuine desire to change.Romans 8:31-34If God is for us, who can ever be against us? . . . Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.Romans 8:38I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.Even after we have repented, sometimes the hardest person to forgive is ourselves. But refusing to forgive ourselves isn’t humble—it’s prideful. If the God of the universe has forgiven you, who are you to question his judgment? If Christ has paid the price for your sins, who are you to claim your sins are too great? Shame can become a form of pride. Humble yourself before God and accept how he sees you—forgiven.Hebrews 10:22Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.1 John 1:8-9If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.Christ saves us from any and all sin. When we confess our sins to him and repent, our guilt is gone. That’s a promise God gives us. And if the God of the universe declares us forgiven, then who are we to withhold forgiveness from ourselves? Embrace God’s gift, and move forward with fresh purpose on the path he has laid out. If the God of the universe can forgive you, who are you to withhold forgiveness from yourself? Is it pride? If God is for us, then who can be against us? Don’t reject forgiveness for shame.

Question 5

How should I respond to God’s purifying work in my life?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 51:1-4Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.Like David, develop a readiness to repent whenever God shows you something that needs correction or removal from your life.Matthew 23:23“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.”1 Timothy 4:15-16Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.Pride and perfectionism do not lead to purity. God commanded tithing because he valued generosity and gratitude, but the Pharisees did not tithe out of generosity—they tithed to impress others. Like Timothy, pursue Jesus with a sincere heart and a desire for progress.1 John 4:16-18We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.If your pursuit of purity is filled with fear—such as fear of being unworthy and unloved—then re-read this verse. God loves you. You can trust that. And as you come to know his love, you will change to become more like him. God doesn’t need you to be pure before you come to him. He wants you to come to him so he can make you pure—free from the sin, shame, and fear that torment you.Matthew 19:19“Love your neighbor as yourself.”Part of allowing God to work in us is seeing ourselves as he sees us. If a friend is struggling with a sin, it’s easy for us to see that they are more than that sin. It’s easy for us to recognize God’s love for them and encourage them. It’s sometimes harder to show that same love to ourselves. Self-love can become toxic and selfish when we allow it to crowd out our love for God and others, but self-hatred is equally wrong. Part of loving God is loving his children—including yourself.Romans 8:26-27The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.Galatians 5:25Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.Be attentive to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and be encouraged that he is active in your life. He will lead you toward greater purity of heart, mind, and action.2 Corinthians 4:18So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.Philippians 3:13-14I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.Don’t allow past failures or present troubles to discourage you. Remind yourself of the eternal joy that lies ahead.Matthew 6:33“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”Philippians 1:6I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.In the end, your purity will not be achieved through your own wisdom or strength, but through God’s work in your willing heart.