The Call to Purity
An Impure World
We live in a world where impurity is not only accepted but celebrated. Sin is rebranded as freedom, and righteousness is mocked as outdated and restrictive. Sexual immorality is openly embraced, while purity is dismissed as unnecessary or even oppressive. The boundaries of truth are constantly shifting, shaped by feelings and cultural trends rather than the unchanging Word of God.
We often feel trapped and buried by impurity, but the Bible tells us that confession brings healing. Purity is hard to live out, but in the midst of this world’s moral collapse, God has not changed His standard. His call to purity is not an option—it is a command, and it is urgent. “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16).
The Answer
Jesus is the only one who can make us pure and the Holy Spirit, Christ’s Spirit, is the one who enables us to live a life of purity.
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. - II Peter 1:3-4
His divine power has granted us all we need to live a life of purity. That’s the power of the Holy Spirit.
If you desire to answer the call to purity, but feel overwhelmed by it, either from previously failed attempts or it just simply seeming out of reach, the answer is found in Jesus.
Cleansing by the Word
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, - Ephesians 5:25-26
In verse 26 we see two aspects of the work of Jesus in our lives.
1) That he sanctifies us.
2) that He cleanses us.
The operation of God’s Word is compared to washing by pure water.
It is God’s Word that is the means of cleansing us.
Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. - John 15:3
In this we see that God’s Word acts as a divine agent of spiritual cleansing.
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. - II Timothy 3:16-17
The Blood and Water
Now along with a cleansing by the Word of God, we see also in the Bible the other great agent of spiritual cleansing: the Blood
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
- I John 1:7
So God’s provision, through Jesus Christ, for cleansing always includes these two divine agents: the blood of Christ shed on the cross and the washing with water by the Word.
Neither is complete without the other.
How are the blood and the water linked?
This is he who came by water and blood - Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. - I John 5:6
In both cases, the blood and the water, it’s the Spirit who bears testimony to Jesus and His work.
It’s not merely enough to accept the teachings of Jesus through His Word without also accepting the blood of Christ to redeem and cleanse us from sin.
Conformity to Christ
Separation from sin, just like cleansing from sin, is part of the process, but it’s not the whole process.
We do not become pure simply by separating from sin.
It is not enough that we are separating from sin because in only doing that, we are just removing the negative.
There needs to be a move from the negative and a move towards the positive.
What is that move?
We must be conformed to Christ.
What do I mean by being conformed to Christ?
We must think and say and do the things Christ would do. Conformity to Christ is the positive we move towards.
We must separate from sin, but we must also move towards Christ.
For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. - II Corinthians 2:16
To have the mind of Christ means you have been washed by Christ. The thoughts you used to have, you no longer have. The patterns of thinking that drove your desires before, are no longer a stronghold over you.
The Mind of Christ
…that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, - Ephesians 5:26
We must have the mind of Christ to be pure and the mind of Christ is obtained in the washing and cleansing by God’s Word.
Application to Life
when you read God’s Word, ask the Holy Spirit: Reveal the root of my struggle. What lie am I believing?
Write down every lie you believe about yourself and ask the Spirit to replace it with the truth of Scripture.
Don’t come to the conclusion after a one time event of washing with the Word that you’re done—it’s a daily process of renewal.
That means you must have the Word of God in your heart. That in the moment you have a lustful thought, you take the Word of God, the very Word that washes and cleanses you, and you feed your heart and mind with the Word.
Have you forgiven yourself? If you haven’t forgiven yourself, have you really taken hold of the forgiveness God has offered you?
Reflective Questions
Will I answer the call to purity?
What areas of my life are impure and do I need to repent of?
Where can I begin in God’s Word to allow the Holy Spirit to wash me?