Purity Of Character

Paul begins his line of reasoning regarding credibility in the Christian life with a subject that is not popular in our day—pureness. Let us say you purchase a carton of milk. You bend back and the contents smell sweet. But you look inside and there, to your horror, you see a dead fly afloat in the white sea. Though the milk itself is suitable for drinking, you’ll certainly return the entire carton to the grocery store and demand a new one because of that nasty fly! Similarly, one little bit of defilement can spoil the effectiveness of your testimony.

If you ask, “How do I get my testimony to mean something?” Paul would answer, “Make sure your life is pure. Let there be not the slightest unconfessed sin.” The reason for desiring purity in heart and life is not that you might gloat over your superior attainments, but so that your words about Jesus are believable. But is pureness really possible? Yes. First John 1:7 indicates it is possible to “walk in the light.” As the Holy Spirit brings to your awareness anything that is out of line with God’s will, confess it, forsake it, and let Jesus make you clean. Whenever I find myself straying from God’s will—by a flash of temper, a touch of greed, or whatever it may be—it is such a delight and relief to say, “God my Father, I know Jesus died for this sin of mine. Handle it, please. Cleanse and forgive me and make me what You want me to be.” In that moment, one can sense the calm, peace, and purity that God gives His child.

Small thought here. Do you desire to live a holy life? Trust Christ. He is made unto us “wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). It is blessedly possible to appropriate these qualities on a daily basis.

This devotional was written by Dr. Robert A. Cook. You can subscribe to his free email articles at Walk With The King Today and listen to his Spirit-filled 15-minute messages. Used with written permission.

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