Pure. What is pure? It’s simple.
When that word came to me this morning my first thought was Ivory soap. Remember the old commercial when they showed a bar of Ivory soap floating – 99 44/100% pure.
Pure as the new fallen snow, pure love, pure conscience, pure wool, pure heart, pure country.
The Scripture refers to pure gold – everything in the Tabernacle was to be made from pure gold. Pure gold is translucent – you can see through it – it has the highest value and quality.
Pure…
“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” Psalm 19:7-10 KJV
The commandment of the Lord is pure and it is to be desired more than gold. The Word of the Lord is pure; no defect, no fault, no blemish, no imperfection.
Pure. God’s Word reveals to us His grace and His amazing love. It is by grace, His grace, His unmerited provision that we are saved. Saved by placing our faith in His grace! There’s nothing we can do on our own to earn it, it’s a gift we receive!
His grace took our sin and placed it on Jesus and then exchanged it for a robe of righteousness; we were made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
We received right standing – right relationship – with the Father through grace! Oh yes, our righteousness is as filthy rags but we aren’t standing before the Father in our own righteousness. We stand before Him in the righteousness of Christ – that’s the message of grace that brought us salvation.
That’s the pure truth of God’s word.
We must lose sight of our own efforts to be good enough for God and focus on His grace and righteousness. We are now a new creature when we are in Christ, old things have died (passed away) and all has become new!
We are instructed by the Apostle Paul to think on, meditate on, things that are pure, lovely, true and a good report.
“Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.
8 Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise. 9 You know the teachings I gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example. And God, who gives peace, will be with you.” Philippians 4:7-9 CEV
When situations arise, and they will, choose to think as we are instructed here. It may be thoughts of self-condemnation, remember what God has done to make you righteous. And if they are thoughts of criticism and ridicule of others replace them with the thought that God’s love is pure toward each and everyone of us.
Thinking like this will keep us at peace, pure and simple.