Pure Lives - Belief changes everything

Day 5 – Pure Lives

Today we tackle a difficult passage that draws a line in the sand between Christians and non-Christians. It’s the kind of passage that you wouldn’t use to share the Gospel with anyone, but is essential for us to be able to share the Gospel with anyone.

Titus 1:15-16

“To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.”

We could read these verses with a whole lot of spitfire and disdain – words like defiled and detestable jump out. They are strong words and so they take over the forefront of our minds when we internalize the passage.

Let’s read the passage again with compassion rolling off our tongues.

   1)    Belief is a huge commitment. We avoid this talk because we do not want to introduce any theology of glory into the picture. Committing is certainly a work of the Spirit, something we are unable to do on our own. However, look at the huge elephant in the passage –

belief changes everything.

And my friends, I think there are a whole lot of people that are simply not ready for that kind of commitment. We can have compassion when we share the message of Jesus, because we are sharing something huge and life changing. Something that might need a “moment” if you will, to sit, and brew, and blossom.

   2)    Purity is a language for believers. We get so frustrated with the world around us. We see sexual sin abounding and destroying young lives and hearts, we watch as the world twists His Word to suit their purposes, we shudder the defilement of children and babies tossed aside in a world that devalues and devalues and devalues some more.

As believers we get trapped in sin, certainly, but we should not be surprised by the impurity of the world around us. It is frustrating and worth confronting, but with compassion on our lips and in our hearts-

They do not know.

They do not know as we know. They do not know the One who is Pure, the One who is Holy, the one who changes everything.

Unbelief matters. This is why, friend or family member, we are desperate to tell you the message of Jesus Christ. He changes absolutely everything. Everything.

Our belief makes us look different to the world. It will attract some. It will annoy others. But it will be pure, because He is pure in us. It will involve confession and forgiveness, authenticity and transparency, a heart broken, but a heart fully restored, made Holy and Pure.

Sisters, I leave you with our heart verse for the week, wrapped up in a broader passage about God’s love, our special place as His children, and things yet to come.

1 John 3:1-3:

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears ^[a] we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”

We shall see Him as He is. Meanwhile, His Hope in us, lavished and poured out on a hurting world - that is Purity.