Sunday, November 1, 2015

Purity | A Way of Life


"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12)

My parents gave me a purity ring for my last birthday with this verse engraved on it. Ideally a purity ring is a symbol of a commitment not to have sex out of wedlock. But lately I've been thinking a lot about what exactly it means to be pure. Purity is not a one time decision, it is a way of life.

When thinking about it the other day, I somewhat felt ashamed with that ring on my finger knowing many of my actions have been driven by selfishness and unholiness. 
But He reminded me that He is continually renewing me and making me pure. 

After thinking about it for a few days, the shamefulness in wearing that ring no longer exists. In fact, seeing that ring on my finger means just a little bit more to me than it did before. Let me share with you why: 

To start, I looked up what the word purity means. The online definition says purity is the condition or quality of being pure; freedom from anything that debases, contaminates, pollutes, etc..

In the world today purity is a very hard thing to maintain. We are constantly having evil thrown at us in our daily atmospheres. We can't just want to be pure, we have to choose to be pure. Despite how much evil and impurity is out there to catch us.

But then what? What is choosing to be pure? 

It all starts from within. I love the verse from Philippians 4:8 "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is PURE, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." (Emphasis my own)

To paraphrase, we are called to "think holy thoughts"

Another verse I really love is Luke 6:45, where Luke says "..for out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks"

So what we put into our hearts/minds, is what is going to come out.

....and that's where the "purity is a way of life" part comes in. We have to choose what we allow into our heart/mind. Because what we put in, is what's going to come out. In our speech, our actions..everything.

One thing I will admit I haven't always appreciated, is that my parents have done a good job at monitoring the television shows/movies/songs/internet use that my siblings and I intake. 

The older I get, I'm understanding (and appreciating) why they made the decisions about what we put into our heads that they did. I'm learning to make those decisions myself. I'm learning how to choose purity. 

The ring on my left ring finger not only symbolizes my commitment to wait, but my commitment to live a life of a purity.
Now of course, I'm human. Not every action I make is made with the thought of being pure in mind. Unfortunately, that's the case more often than not. But thanks to my wonderful Jesus, I am CONSTANTLY being made pure through His blood. (Jesus to the rescue!!)

1 John 1:7 says "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his son, purifies us from all sin."

Then in verse 9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from unrighteousness."

He is making me new daily through the blood of Jesus Christ. That's something I hear a lot and maybe don't always take it for what it's worth. But like, isn't that actually really super cool??
Every single day I am given the chance to start completely over. I'm given the chance to choose purity. I am given the chance to walk with Purity himself. 

In closing. one of my favorite verses I like to read along with my prayer time is Psalm 51:10 
"Create in me a PURE heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me" 

Pray that verse this week. I encourage you to really spend some time thinking about what it means to be pure. Then ask yourself if the actions in your own life are following that definition. 

Anywho, my Jesus is amazing. and this walk with Him is one heck of an adventure. 
God bless. (:



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