Keep Thyself Pure

This is a time of moral decay among all men, a collapse of decency that compels every true minister of Christ to cry out in sincere protest. Paul's injunction to Timothy, "Keep thyself pure", has encouraged the church through the millennia toward godliness; yet now the church's commitment to spiritual perfection is being challenged in perhaps an unprecedented measure by the lusts and rebellion which are so rampant today. Still, the apostle's commandment stands as a lighthouse, a beacon with as much relevance to the church as any command that was ever left on record from the pen of that great man of God.

The commandment, "Keep thyself pure", may be broken in two ways; namely, by action and by intent. Jesus explained how one may sin by intent when he said, "Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Mt. 5:28). This means, of course, that when any unclean desire is accepted, brooded over, and welcomed, and fails to become an act only for lack of opportunity, one is then guilty before God of that sin. Any degree of this impurity in one's heart mars his harmony with God, and, as many have proved, may ultimately lead to a devastating immoral act. God, as we know, does not want any of His children to live with the bitterness of shame and remorse which inevitably results from moral uncleanness.

It was David, you recall, who, after taking Uriah's wife, cried in anguish of soul, "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness. According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, the only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight." No doubt, as David was offering this great confessional prayer of Psalm 51, he was thinking of his former relationship with God, a relationship that had enabled him to write such sweet phrases as those of Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

We notice that David, in his confession, did something that only wise men are able to do. He plainly admitted that he had sinned. Many who have sinned will not confess it. And many who are backslidden in heart, but have not performed their desire, may not even realize their backslidden condition. But a "wise virgin" like David will feel the separation from God which sin brings and confess all sin. Those counted as "foolish virgins" by Jesus never overcome sin, in part because they offer mere apologies to men rather than heartfelt confessions to God, the One against whom they have actually sinned. All sin, at the last, is sin against God. David could not ask forgiveness of dead Uriah. Bathsheba, Uriah's wife, with whom David had committed adultery, was alive; and I am certain David confessed his wrong to her and asked her forgiveness; yet only God could blot out his sin. David knew that he had to be cleansed by God to regain his lost purity; therefore, he cried to the One who is able, "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin."

How many today need to cry aloud, as David did, for a second cleansing, a new heart, and a right spirit! Oh, to regain the purity they lost when they "fell from their own steadfastness" and were "drawn away" to commit sin. All who do this find the same lovingkindness with which God "lifted up David's head" is available in Christ Jesus. God's tender mercy is still there for the penitent, yet he demands that we approach Him for it in the name of His Son. "No man comes to the Father but by me", said Jesus.

Think of the multitudes yet in darkness, in need of God's cleansing. The sad and bitter cry of condemnation is being felt now in thousands of poor, wretched, backslidden hearts which once were pure and happy, but have long since become defiled and impure. But God never intended those who love Him to live in such misery. He calls all His people to cleanliness and holiness. And may we all be reminded that a guilty conscience needs no accusation, for memories which burn with sin will continually vex the soul until the Spirit of Christ Jesus blots out the transgression. Regardless of how securely a sin may be shrouded in secrecy, there is always the harassing specter of fear of discovery. "The wicked flee when no man pursueth." To live in fear with the ghost of guilt is an assurance of hell. To walk in the "shadow of death" is to hear the voice of condemnation in the heart.

Every honest person will acknowledge his need of God's help in living a holy life. This help is freely provided to man by God in the power of the Spirit of Christ. Only through God's Holy Spirit can man be holy. By His Spirit the blood of Christ is applied to the human heart, washing, forgiving, healing, and saving from the vile lusts and rebellion of this world, keeping the heart attuned to God's will. The born-again soul must cultivate the habit of clean living and thinking, and avoid vulgar associates. Choose clean friends, and shun those especially who would poison the soul by luring you into fornication or adultery.

To be sure, God's eye is upon all who desire this saving power, to be with them and give them the inner strength needed to overcome any trial of faith. Joseph, for example, came face to face with circumstances which made impurity easy and purity difficult, when "his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and she said, Lie with me" (Gen.39:7). Standing true to God, young Joseph refused. May we all prayerfully remember Joseph's response to Potiphar's faithless wife: How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? Joseph's decision to keep himself pure was one he never regretted making, and it was later greatly rewarded. Neither will you ever regret any decision you make, my friend, to keep yourself pure. On the other hand, every sin ever committed by anyone will be, at some point, deeply regretted. As Paul said, "Be not deceived. God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal.6:7).

Have you failed to keep yourself pure, so that you cannot testify, as some may, of a blameless life since you became a disciple of Christ? Let me tell you, just here, no failure need be final except the failure to repent and start anew. To the woman taken in adultery, Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn thee. Go, and sin no more." How could this woman ever sin again with a tender mercy such as this written upon her heart? No more in the Scriptures do we hear of her; yet, through Christ, I am confident she returned no more to her former ways. And I shall look to see her on that day when our Lord makes up His precious jewels.

To all, Jesus freely offers not only forgiveness of sin, but also the preserving power of the Holy Ghost to keep the body well and the mind in perfect peace. How gracious are God's wonderful promises! My Christian friend, if you are pure before the Lord, you may most assuredly proclaim, "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation" (Ps.18:2). The Master still sails with his followers over life's troubled seas, calming the heart and speaking peace to their spirits.

We may draw added strength from David's words after he was restored in faith, as he offers this splendid challenge to his Maker, "Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts" (Ps.139:23). By reaching such a spiritual state as this, one stands to receive God's greatest blessings and His most honored gifts; therefore, let us keep ourselves pure and holy, realizing that every impure motive and passion of the soul must be constantly and forever abandoned. This may not be desired by many men, but it will win the approval of God and afford the sanction of a peaceful and satisfied conscience.

Never among those who have dared to pay the price of this holy consecration has there been one who was disappointed in his reliance upon Him who issued that deeply involved exhortation, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." My Reader, to deny perfection in the believer, is one way to forever avoid it. All who do so are rendering a vain, foolishly bold rebuttal to the expressed will of God.

We know that the turning away from all forms of worldly indulgence in ungodliness will not win the fickle favor of men. Love for the Master must be the compelling motive of our striving to reach the peak of righteousness, peace, and joy in Christ. And surely, when one contemplates the agony of the Lamb of God on Calvary's cruel tree, he may joyfully respond with his whole heart to that great warrior's command, "Keep thyself pure."

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