Moral and spiritual purity is demanded by God of his people. God calls his people to be holy, just as he is holy.
Divine purity
The purity of God
Habakkuk 1:13 See also Job 4:17; Psalm 18:26; 1 John 1:5
Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the faithless? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
The purity of Jesus Christ
1 John 3:3 See also Matthew 17:2; Hebrews 7:26
And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as Christ is pure.
Fellowship with God demands purity
Psalm 24:3–4; Matthew 5:8 See also Psalm 51:6, Psalm 73:1
Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear deceitfully.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
God's people are to live pure lives
Colossians 3:5 See also Leviticus 18:30; Job 31:1; Psalm 51:10; 1 Corinthians 5:7–8 Yeast is a symbol of sin; 1 Corinthians 6:15–20; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Titus 1:15, Titus 2:5; Hebrews 13:4; James 1:27, James 4:8
Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.
Purity is unobtainable by human effort
Because of the sinful human nature
Job 14:4 See also Job 15:14, Job 25:4; Ecclesiastes 7:20
Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!
Because of the tendency to idolatry
He has rejected your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?
Because of self-deception
Proverbs 30:12 See also Proverbs 20:9
There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
Because of an unwillingness to be cleansed
Because of the indecency of your uncleanness I tried to cleanse you, but you would not be purified from your filthiness. You will not be pure again until My wrath against you has subsided.
Symbols of purification from sin
Psalm 51:7 See also Isaiah 6:6 fire; Mark 1:4 water baptism; 2 Corinthians 11:2 virginity; 2 Peter 3:14 spotlessness
Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
God promises to purify his people
Ezekiel 36:25 See also Zephaniah 3:9; Zechariah 13:1
I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.
Purification through Jesus Christ
Through pardon offered in his death
Hebrews 9:14 See also Hebrews 12:24; 1 John 1:7
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!
Through his word
John 15:3 See also John 13:10
You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
Through his presence in resisting temptation
James 4:7–8 See also 1 Peter 5:9
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Through hope built on his promises
Titus 2:12–13 See also 1 John 3:3
It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age, as we await the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
Purification through judgment
In the OT
Leviticus 18:28 See also Deuteronomy 13:5, Deuteronomy 17:7, Deuteronomy 17:12; Judges 20:13; Malachi 3:2–4
So if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it spewed out the nations before you.
In the NT
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
Symbols of purity
Whiteness
Daniel 7:9 See also Psalm 51:7; Isaiah 1:18; Matthew 17:2 parallel Mark 9:3; Matthew 28:3; Mark 16:5; John 20:12; Revelation 1:14
As I continued to watch, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
Light
1 John 1:7 See also Job 25:5; Ezekiel 1:27; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 5:8–9
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.
Washing
Psalm 26:6 See also Psalm 51:2
I wash my hands in innocence that I may go about Your altar, O LORD,
Fire
Daniel 7:9–10 See also Isaiah 33:14; Ezekiel 8:2; Revelation 1:14–15
As I continued to watch, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from His presence. Thousands upon thousands attended Him, and myriads upon myriads stood before Him. The court was convened, and the books were opened.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.