Pure and Holy

There is a phrase in the chorus, "Oh to be like Thee," that prays to be "pure as Thou art." Another song carries the phrase "pure and holy" to describe the Lord.
We know our Lord is pure and without sin, but God's expectation of us in covenant is to be pure as He is! Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." I John 3:3 (NASB) And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

II Corinthians 7:1 (NIV) Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

There is a difference between pure and holy. Holiness is ministered by God through our covenant response to His Word. Righteousness is accounted to us through our faith. We have to purify our selves through means offered to us by God. There are several scriptures concerning purifying. Many are in the O.T. rituals that offered purification. Water and blood were the means of this purifying. So how do we purify ourselves?

One, by faith in the finished work of Jesus. Titus 2:11-14 11 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

Two, by the water of the Word. The Word reveals our need and we are washed by the cleansing of the water of the Word as we take it into our spirit.

We overcome the desires of this Adamic nature and recognize our human heart is not a natural follower of God and not eager to respond to His Word. We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. (Revelation 12:11) Two words explain those two actions: repentance and identification. We repent and put the sin found in our adamic nature under the blood of Jesus. We identify with the Word of God and the nature of Jesus and appropriate by identification. Paul did this and showed the Corinthians how to identify with His victory.
II Corinthians 5:21 (NLT) For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

The purity we seek is a purity toward God. We focus on His Lordship over our lives and want to please Him. We turn away from the temptations our realm presents to us and refuse to dwell on them. Even when David sinned, his heart was right toward God for he turned to repentance with his whole heart. There are many times and many ways in which we may fail God, but how we turn to Him reveals the intent and focus of our heart. God knows our frame that it is but dust, but what He has provided for us is enough to overcome that dust, if we desire the Lord enough to apply it.