We can see signs that say, “cleanliness is next to Godliness" in schools, sidewalks, and streets. It’s common here in the Philippines. Basically we all like a clean environment. It makes us comfortable and it gives us a clear mind to think. Study shows that students who are exposed to clean and orderly environment performed much better than those who are exposed to a dirty and uncomfortable environment. It is normal for every individual to enjoy something that is clean. We can’t enjoy a thing when it’s dirty! We can’t enjoy a beautiful view if garbage is on the background. The point we must consider in our lives is that we can’t appreciate God’s goodness and faithfulness when we have garbage in our hearts.
I. God desires for Purity.
a) In the Old Testament (Joshua 6:21) when the Israelites conquer a city, God ordered them that everything in it must be destroyed. He doesn’t want anything left that would influence the Israelites to commit a sin.
Same with us, if we want to gain a total victory in our spiritual life we must allow God to destroy everything in our lives that would influence us to sin. A person who desires to be victorious and leaves something bad in his life may not be victorious at all. We must live a life of surrender to him withholding nothing, which is not pleasing to our God.
In building a sacred place or a temple for God, those who built it are oftentimes instructed to use materials such as gold and silver to be pure. (Read in Exodus and Leviticus) It is a picture that God Desires For purity. Most importantly those who enter the temple must be pure before God.
Before we enter into the presence of God, we must first examine our hearts if we are worthy to face our holy God. God is Holy and therefore we must be holy.
Once when I was a bible school student, we have our regular Wednesday night worship. There was one time that the presence of God was so strong that every one of us worshipping felt it. I realize how unworthy I am in the presence of God. I ask God to cleanse me and it was then that I started to enjoy His mighty presence. We can’t enjoy His presence if have this guilt deep inside us. We must allow him to purify us like Gold and silver so that our lives will be pleasing unto him.
II. We must desire for purity
our duty is to submit ourselves before Him so that He could cleanse us. A desire to be pure pleases God and He is more than willing to purify us.
In Acts 13:22 we can see How God called David." A man after my own heart. Wow! This is because David desires for purity.
David fell in the area of lust, but we can read his prayer in Psalm 51: 1-10 humbling before God and pleaded not to take God’s presence from him. David knew the value of God’s wonderful presence and he longed for God’s presence so much.
Because we are born sinners (Psalm 51:5 our natural inclination is to please ourselves rather than God and we sin because of having this kind of attitude. David sinned when he followed this inclination. He prayed, “Cleanse me from within" meaning that he wants to have clean thoughts and desires. Right conduct can come only from a clean heart and spirit.
III. Refiners fire
if we have soap to clean our physical bodies from dirt; we have a spiritual soap to cleanse us spiritually or deep within.
Malachi 3:2 Talks about us cleansing like purifying gold and silver to make it pure. We undergo fire of afflictions to have us purified. This are the testing and trials God allows for us to develop an attitude of purity. Gold is purified until the reflection of the one purifying it reflects on it.
The more we are cleansed, the more we reflect Jesus in our lives.
The process may not be easy and comfortable but it surely assures a good result.
IV. Staying pure in a filthy environment
I have this experience of going inside the cave. I have a lot of company that time that were ahead of me in going inside this cave, Those who were finished looking inside came out dirty due to the wet environment inside causing the ground to be muddy. I said to myself and the rest that we will try not to get dirty like the rest. We get inside and we made it outside dirt free. I realized that though we are living in a filthy world full of sin we could still manage not to be influenced by such evil around us. It takes discipline and Godly vision to make it.
A) Psalm 119:1- we can do it by constantly reading the word of God.
B) Psalm 1:1 - We must not sit in the counsel of the ungodly. We must make sure we sit on the counsel of the Godly. Bad company corrupts good character.
3) Stay in the presence of God.
4) Be in an attitude of humility, asking God’s forgiveness when we sin. (1 John 1:9)
5) Stay out of sin.
V. Desire purity in every aspect in your life.
Heart -MOTIVES
Mind -MOTIVES
Body -DEEDS
Let us pursue holiness and righteousness!
The reward? WE WILL SEE GOD!
