When you hear the word purity do you cringe a little? Do you immediately think of sexual purity? I know I do but I want to take you down a different path of ideas of what purity in the Bible means. I want to look at 3 ways that purity is essential to our walk with the Lord.

Through various Bible studies I've learned that purity is not just sexually or morally but at its core it is the true holiness or perfection of Christ. When I look at purity through this lens I can grasp the concept of purity as a complete devotion to Jesus Christ where I am to work to be like Him.

Completeness

Let's start at the beginning with completeness. Colossians 2:10 NLT tells us that, ''... you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.'' Through our Lord and Savior we are whole and complete. Jesus Christ alone however, is the perfect sacrifice and through his perfection we are truly made pure. Nothing can take our purity in Christ away. This is where my mind starts to glaze over friends because if I mess up, if you mess up and sin how are we still pure?

Our Heavenly Father doesn't condemn us for falling short because He already knows we aren't perfect. He wants us to strive to live with a pure heart and as long as our hearts are striving to be pure then we are still whole in Him.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God '' Matthew 5:8

What we are being asked of by our Heavenly Father is to seek Him out and follow His example so that we may be whole and complete in Him. Being complete in Him and living a life devoted to Christ allows us to show our position to the world of how we are going to live. Devoted.

Devotion

Ladies, let's be honest for a moment. Have you ever liked two people more than just friends and maybe went out on dates, were being swooned by them both and actually were falling for both? Yup! Been there so let me explain this from a perspective of experience. I was committing adultery of the heart. Yes, adultery of the heart. You cannot fully devote yourself to two men and think that it'll end well. Honestly, it won't! You'll be the one heartbroken. So it is with Christ. You cannot commit spiritual adultery also known as adultery of the heart and still strive to have a pure heart.

Romans 12:2 ESV 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.'' You cannot be in this world and desire and seek things of this world and still be 100% devoted to Christ. I like to think about it like a marriage. You can't be half way in and halfway out hoping for a long lasting, healthy relationship. When we give less than our best to Christ we are not striving in complete wholeness to live and be pure in Him.

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Jesus Christ

Last and a key point to remember is that purity is not about us... It's about Jesus Christ. God sacrificed his only son to cover our sins then and now so that we may live in Him for eternity. Hebrews 10:14 NIV says, ''For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.'' We do not make ourselves pure and holy... Jesus Christ was the ultimate sacrifice and through Him we can pursue true purity.

At the end of the day we need to be focused and steadfast with our thoughts, our actions and our hearts because we will need to forge ahead to combat the lies of this world.

Sister, don't be discouraged as you try to live a pure and holy life. You weren't made to be perfect. You were made for the glory of God and to live in Him and to work each and everyday toward a life of right living is all that Christ is asking of us. Stay true to the one who made you and dig deep when the days become harder than you can bear.