Lent Day 28: Purity

On this twenty-eighth lenten morning, the Holy Spirit draws me to reflect upon the Father's summons to white-hot purity inherent in Lent -- white as the beautiful petals below.

“Purity of heart is to will one thing.”

Søren Kierkegaard

What is purity?

This morning, my lenten journey leads me to a rest stop that enables me to see purity as the truest, undiluted, most potent form of an entity or concept. It is the quality of staying true, unwavering, and determined in following one and only one path regardless of external pressures or enticements. It is the ability to ward off contaminants and defects from a specific substance. It is the stability of the mind to remain alert, sharp, and focused on the right thing. It is the commitment to be loyal to one Lord and Master.

Purity is an oft-neglected concept in group discussions because of the hot-button issues it unearths. Topics such as divorce, extramarital affairs, homosexuality, bisexuality, teen pregnancy, abortion, and the like are some of the concerns which have triggered oodles of noodle-like dissensions among people causing much wreckage in the body of Christ. 

Often, when the word purity is brought up in Christian circles, most automatically imply sexual purity -- the idea of keeping sexual goings-on within the confines of marriage. Numerous materials dealing with this question are readily available and, to be honest, such valuable biblical teaching is most needed in our time.

However, when pondering purity in depth, my mind is confronted with this truth -- the purity to which God calls His children goes far deeper than sexual or even physical purity. In fact, its presence or lack thereof influences and governs every area of life.

We bathe, brush our teeth, scrub our floors, and clean our dishes. We air out linens that have stayed in closets all winter long and disinfect kitchen countertops after chopping, dicing, and slicing meat. Health specialists promote the idea that humans need pure drinking water to remain alive and healthy. We launder whites separate from other types of clothing in order to preserve their pristine quality. We wash our cars, vacuum carpeted floors, and dust the furniture. We value the signs we see in public restrooms urging employees to clean their hands with soap and water because of health safety reasons. We recognize the importance of sanitizing needles and other medical tools because of the threat of death their infected versions would pose to patients. We proofread our writing and eliminate (as much as possible) typographical and grammatical errors. We value ethical practices in the corporate world and those who are involved in embezzlement are justly punished -- as The Wall Street Journal eagerly informs the public.

In short, we want things to be untainted and just so.

Or, do we?

Why, then, is there so much focus on purifying things while most individuals are either disinterested in developing personal purity or offended that anyone might suggest their need for it? 

The answer is simpler than one might think at first glance. It is one that goes to the core of the human heart -- people have a great desire to control everything that is outside of them while rejecting the idea of self-control. This rejection is the neglect, or rather, the suppression of their need for personal truth, discipline, and conviction. 

The denial of the above three elements stems from the fact that all three demand of individuals to face their flaws head on and call for a decision one way or another at the purity crossroads, a decision they are not always ready or willing to make.

This morning, my heart is convicted.

My flaws are unmistakably before my face.

I have a decision to make at this crossroads: Do I head South and descend to the pit of impurity or do I go North and embrace the purity that I inherit through the finished work of Christ's righteousness?

The purity of lenten thought insists on prodding me to become intentional about the direction I take on my journey since said direction, instead of the words I merely utter, will more accurately testify to the truth of my rending to my Lord. 

Thus, purity is the proof that Christ's cleansing has taken place in me. It is the public declaration that I am surrendering every ounce of willpower to Christ who alone can maintain or preserve my purity through His righteousness.

So, Lent calls you and me to pause and see that there is much at stake when impurity is the pattern of the life of a professed follower of Christ. My prayer is that you and I will continue on this journey to discover and partake of the numerous blessings granted to us in Christ, the perfect Husbandman. Lent beckons us to recognize and acknowledge Christ’s position vis-à-vis His creation and our position in regard to His—He is Lord and Master whereas we are His sheep, the people of His pasture. This acknowledgment necessitates submission, surrender, release, and let go.

Why should we let go of our “need” to be in control of our lives? 

Paul proclaims that such is the response the Father desires from those who believe in His Son. In fact, in Colossians 2:6-7, he exhorts, 

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, 

continue to live in Him, 

rooted and built up in Him, 

strengthened in the faith as you were taught, 

and overflowing with thankfulness.” 

In other words, it is not enough to say, “Lord, Lord” and fail to relate to Christ as the Lord of our lives. God seeks from us not nice words, but intimate relationship, even and especially when that relationship is being refined in the fire of adversity.

Adversity is a concept that is clearly mentioned in the book of Daniel. When the King of Babylon threatened the three Hebrew men, they responded in purity: 

“O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O King. But even if He does not, we want you to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (Daniel 3:16-18).

That, indeed, was the kind of faith that is the prerogative of purity—a faith that is unmixed, undiluted, untainted. Regardless of momentary rewards, tantalizing appeals, initial sweetness, risk-free boasts, powerful threats, our God yearns for us to have a faith that identifies and helps avoid the idols (affections and commitments) that are potentially lethal to our spiritual health.

O Lord, 

we yearn for purity of heart;

we yearn for spiritual renewal. 

Thank You for giving us, in Christ, 

a new heart and a new spirit 

as You promised through the prophet Ezekiel—

the heart and Spirit of Jesus—

so that we may live holy and surrendered lives. 

We pray that the sins of our past 

will become appalling to us 

and that we will recoil from ever committing them again. 

Most of all, we pray that you will remove 

any disgrace we have brought upon Your name. 

Bring us to understand and cling to the blessedness of Your forgiveness, Lord, 

and renew our minds to grasp Your grace more fully. 

And may Your holiness be made known to the world 

through Your great acts of mercy to us. 

In Christ alone, we pray. 

Amen!