Exposing 3 Myths about Purity while Enriching our Understanding with 3 Biblical Truths
In my twenties, my best friend gave me a purity ring. She even had our church pastor pray over the ring and give his blessing. That little ring represented so much to me, a declaration of my desire to live a pure and righteous life before God. And you know what, sister, I’m married now, but I still have the ring today! So here’s the thing: the ring itself isn’t powerful; it merely symbolizes my pursuit of purity without verbalizing it.
I’ve come to realize that pursuing godly purity is achievable with accountability. It’s more than simply abstaining from sexual temptation. It also promotes caution, provides discernment, and prevents corruption in our daily thoughts. But unfortunately, many myths about the meaning of purity float about in today’s culture, even among Christians. So, together, let's debunk three myths about purity and decide that we’ll live out God’s truth as his beloved children. Are you ready? Let's go!
Lie #1 - Purity is only about sexual sin.
Truth #1 - We are God’s daughters, and his Spirit lives in us, which means purity affects every detail of our lives. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Okay, friend, as you’ve heard me say before, let me repeat it: we are daughters of God! As wonderful as this affirmation is, our new identity as adopted children doesn’t come without responsibility. As God’s beloved daughters, we have the Holy Spirit living inside us, whose sole purpose is to mold us into Christ’s image by guiding, correcting, empowering, and encouraging us in our Christian walk. Therefore, we are responsible for submitting “every area” of our lives to the Spirit. After all, our lives now belong to God and should be used in ways that bring glory to him, not disgrace. Contrary to the message propagated by today’s culture, the Christian life is not about individual freedom but devotion to our heavenly Father for his love and mercy.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
As the above passage shows, God no longer dwells in fancy temples. Instead, His Spirit now inhabits the hearts of his people. That said, our bodies are no longer our property, which we might use according to our desires. Instead, we are under the Lord’s ownership. Christ’s death has paid the price to redeem us from bondage to sin’s power. As a result, we now belong to him and not to ourselves.
As God’s daughters, the Holy Spirit influences us to seek out and pursue that which pleases our heavenly Father. Unfortunately, many people believe that purity only relates to sexual behavior. While sexual sin is undoubtedly a component of purity, it's not the only one. We should also pursue purity in what we watch and listen to, our language, and our treatment of others. In other words, purity needs to infiltrate every part of our lives. We’re not free to do anything we like or invent our standards for morality. Instead, we’re bound to a relationship of obedient faithfulness to Christ.
Lie #2 - Purity won’t help me with my poor self-image.
Truth #2 - By renewing our minds in the Word of God you will start to see yourself in a God-honoring way. (Romans 12:2)
Have you ever found yourself struggling with a poor self-image? It can be tough to see ourselves in a positive light when we're bombarded with the world telling us that we're not good enough if we don’t meet specific criteria. Unfortunately, the pressures of today’s culture have caused Christians to conform to its ideals, such as the desire for status, success, sex, good looks, and so on. The only solution is to reject these secular pursuits and turn to the Spirit for strength to rise above the pressure.
You see, the Spirit seeks to create within us a healthy self-image. But this is achieved only by submitting to his will for our lives which is a mind shaped by godly purity. This mental reshaping may be counterintuitive initially. Still, if we persevere and allow the Spirit’s way in our lives, we’ll discover that the world’s way of measuring status and self-image no longer appeals to our hearts. Instead, we’ll begin to see ourselves the way God sees us - as His beloved daughters, created in His image and called to greatness.
Romans 12:2 says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
As the above verse makes plain, the remedy for conformity to the world is the transformation that takes place through renewing our minds. However, we must remember that the Spirit is the change agent, not us. While we do participate in the work to change our lives, the Spirit enables us, through scripture, to overcome temptation and live victoriously for God. Renewing our minds through God’s Word is a powerful tool for overcoming negative self-talk and developing a healthy self-image. Only by reading and applying the truth of God's Word daily can we learn to see ourselves in a God-honoring way.
It’s no secret that the mind is where spiritual growth occurs. After all, our minds are where we make decisions that determine our spiritual destiny. Only when God is in charge of our thoughts and we’re following his direction can we be confident we’re doing the right thing. Overall, it's not about striving to be perfect or meeting impossible standards. Instead, it's about recognizing that we’re fearfully and wonderfully made and that God has a plan for each of our lives. Then, by seeking purity and renewing our minds in the Word of God, we can begin to live out that plan with confidence and joy.
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Lie #3 - I can never be pure again once I've sinned.
Truth #3 - God promises to make us white as snow through repentance and faith in Christ! (Isaiah 1:18)
So many of us are subject to the deception that says we’re forever tainted and impure once we succumb to temptation. But that's simply not true! The enemy wants us to believe this lie because it’s a lie that keeps us trapped in shame and guilt, making it harder for us to embrace God's grace more fully. But the truth is, through repentance and faith in Christ, we are made white as snow!
Isaiah 1:17-18 says, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."
What a beautiful promise! Our faith in the power of Christ’s death and resurrection washes away all sin and guilt forever!! On the one hand, we must recognize that obedience produces forgiveness. God forgives and cleanses us from sin not because he must but because he desires to. He accomplishes his redemptive work through Christ’s obedience, death, and resurrection. But, on the other hand, it’s also apparent in verse 17 that God doesn’t proclaim forgiveness to those unwilling to obey. While it’s true that the power of sin and death no longer has any say over our future, we still must recognize that our lives are no longer our own since Christ has paid the ultimate price for our freedom. That said, we must pursue a life of purity that honors God.
I read an acronym that sums this all up to live a life of purity means I am:
Pure in heart
United to Christ
Redeemed and set free
Identity secure in Christ
Temptation overcomer
You are forgiven
So my sister, let's pursue purity and renew our minds in the truth of God's Word. As we do this, we'll begin to see ourselves and others through the eyes of Christ, and we'll be empowered to live out our calling with purpose and passion.
