Humans are messy creatures. No matter how successful, anointed, gifted, or responsible a person is, they will never be perfect. You may think you have found someone who could prove me wrong, but just give them some time… We make mistakes. It’s not that we are all intentionally walking around waiting to mess things up. For the most part, people are living the best they can.
With this in mind, I have always struggled in the concept of purity as a Christian. I’m not referring to only abstinence or sexual purity. Although this is a big part of who we are, there is more to purity – purity of heart and mind. Purity when it comes to intention and social standing. Purity that outworks itself in every decision we make and in our day-to-day behaviour.
The concept of purity definitely seems like a requirement to be perfect. You may have seen standards set by the church or religious people that seem unattainable. My immediate response to the subject of purity used to be guilt and shame. I knew very clearly where I was going wrong. And didn’t want anyone else to highlight my shortcomings and make that condemnation any worse…
But after walking a journey with God for a few years, I have learnt more about myself and about what he intends for me when it comes to purity. Here are a few things that have demystified purity for me:
1. Purity is about being your best self
We have all been made with the capacity to live pure: undiluted, uncomplicated, and completely ourselves. Being pure means being “unmixed” and “untampered”. It is all about the original substance being completely whole. You cannot be pure if you are not whole.
2. Purity is a standing more than a standard
Purity is a stance we are meant to live from, not an external thing that we should idealise. God wants us to be pure and he has made a way for us to be pure. Purity is not about comparison. It is about confidence. Being 100% confident in your motives, your choices, your ability, and your validity may still seem out of reach right now, but it is definitely more attainable.
3. Purity is achieved through obedience
In the Bible it says that purity is attainable because of Jesus. But the ball is still in our court. All of us obey something – whether it is our own desires, other people, or something greater. In 1 Peter, it says that we can be pure by obeying truth. There is nothing more true than God’s word. His word is living and active. It is there for revelation, not just reading. It is for confirmation, not condemnation.
I hope that this helps you understand purity better. You may think you’re doing pretty well with your life. You may feel like you are nowhere close to where you need to be. I hope you know that God wants you. All of you – your good and your bad. We don’t have to be perfect or pure to approach God. Jesus sorted that out for us. If you want a relationship with Him, He can help you work towards living the best version of yourself. I am living proof of that. I wouldn’t be close to who I am now if I didn’t choose to open my mess of a life up to God first.