Purity

I've posted about purity before in my blog, but this time I really want to focus on something that's been bugging me for a while.

I'll start with defining Purity.

pu·ri·ty
noun

1. the condition or quality of being pure; freedom from anything that debases, contaminates, pollutes,etc.: the purity of drinking water.
2. freedom from any admixture or modifying addition.
3. ceremonial or ritual cleanness.
4. freedom from guilt or evil; innocence.
5. physical chastity; virginity.

The kind of purity that I'm thinking about is more about the mind than the body. Jesus said in Matthew 15:10-11:

"When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

We're called above all else, to keep our mouths clean. Yet, I've seen people get mocked for attempting this by fellow Christians. Moreover, I've seen people criticized and downplayed when they try to encourage others not to speak crass or rudely.

Let me stop here for a second and explain exactly what I mean when I'm talking about an unclean mouth. I'm not talking about "swear" words. I'm referring to derogatory, sexually perverse, base speech.

I'm also not trying to sell some kind of legalistic law here either. Rather I'm trying to express my concerns of the spirit of the law itself. That we attack people, laugh at people, downplay individuals who try to keep their thoughts or their mouths clean.

I think the reason that we do this (I say we because what is most distressing about this subject for me is my own violation of it) because we associate Purity/Innocent with Naivety. As if, to choose to think filthy or perverse thought opposed to a pure or innocent thought on a subject, is better because it shows knowledge.

It's that whole knowledge of "good and evil" thing biting us straight in the bum. It's not necessarily that people (I think) disagree with purity but rather that they find the notion rather naive. As if we could live in a sinned filled world and not be corrupted by its culture and customs.

Yet, Paul warns us in Romans 12:2:
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

If I'm honest. When I hear someone I would otherwise find to live a life of purity, or whom I respect, speak perversely or in a base manner. It breaks my heart. I hate it. Not that I'm upset at the person, but that this world continually assaults our purity and righteousness. And we SELL OUT FOR SO CHEAP. As if we don't even understand the value placed on our purity. Like we don't see the pearls we're just casting to the swine.

We give our innocence away for promises of knowledge or understanding that we previously didn't have. As if obtaining that perverse information somehow will "better" us. We TRADE THE PROMISES OF GOD FOR A LIE (Romans 1:25). Frankly it breaks my heart. Every single time.

Even though I still make those same mistakes, even though I sell out for so cheap. That heart break just encourages me every time to take a little bit wider steps in the direction of purity and makes me think twice about giving an inch back. I desperately wish our generation could grasp how amazing, how beautiful, and how life changing it truly is to live pure. Not just physically (although that's important too!) but really to fight the battle mentally.

How To Drink Water

We like to think of Christ's righteousness like water. The word is often referred to it as the waters of life. We talk about thirsting after God, but the problem is that when you're thirsty, you know you're thirsty. Its instinctive to know the feeling of not having water.

Here's were it gets cray cray. The way we view our spiritual lives is the same way we view our drinking habits. I'm a prime candidate of drinking sugary drinks in replacement of water. It tastes better. Its easier to drink, I like the taste. Its immediate. I don't drink water that often, cause there's no immediate "feel-good" to it. The irony is that a half hour after drinking my sugar-filled-death-drink I get a headache or I crash. Had I drank water, I'd be feeling awesome. Instead, I feel like crap. We do the same thing with Christ. We like the sugar filled gospel. It taste good. It feels good. It has an immediate benefit to us. The problem is that it won't sustain us. We get thirsty. We get headaches.

So you'd think it be pretty obvious, like drink water and you'll do better in the long run. Its easy for us to say "those luke warm Christians, always drinking the sugar water!" but the reality is that most people don't even realize there is water. They don't know that the thirst they feel isn't for the cheap easy christian life. They don't know its for the full sustaining and revitalizing life.

How do we fix this? Whats the remedy for our sugar-consuming christian habits? Its so simple. Teaching. You can't expect someone who doesn't know something to be accountable for that information. We as a body have to remind each other whats good for us and whats not. We have to teach each other and prove what is pleasing and acceptable. The best way to do that is to offer people water. I.E. the Word of God. I'm talking really good stuff, the deep stuff at the bottom of the well. Something with substance. When people get the taste of that... and see how it sustains them in the difficult times, they'll never go back to the sugar water. It won't be the same.