Purity, moral and spiritual

Divine purity

The purity of God

Habakkuk 1:13 NASB95

Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they?

See also Job 4:17; Ps 18:26; 1 Jn 1:5

The purity of Jesus Christ

1 John 3:3 NASB95

And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

See also Mt 17:2; Heb 7:26

Fellowship with God demands purity

Ps 24:3–4; Mt 5:8

See also Ps 51:6; Ps 73:1

God’s people are to live pure lives

Colossians 3:5 NASB95

Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.

See also Le 18:30; Job 31:1; Ps 51:10; 1 Co 5:7–8 Yeast is a symbol of sin; 1 Co 6:15–20; 1 Th 4:3; Tt 1:15; Tt 2:5; Heb 13:4; Jas 1:27; Jas 4:8

Purity is unobtainable by human effort

Because of the sinful human nature

Job 14:4 NASB95

“Who can make the clean out of the unclean? No one!

See also Job 15:14; Job 25:4; Ec 7:20

Because of the tendency to idolatry

Hosea 8:5 NASB95

He has rejected your calf, O Samaria, saying, “My anger burns against them!” How long will they be incapable of innocence?

Because of self-deception

Proverbs 30:12 NASB95

There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes, Yet is not washed from his filthiness.

See also Pr 20:9

Because of an unwillingness to be cleansed

Ezekiel 24:13 NASB95

“In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I would have cleansed you, Yet you are not clean, You will not be cleansed from your filthiness again Until I have spent My wrath on you.

Symbols of purification from sin

Psalm 51:7 NASB95

Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

See also Is 6:6 fire; Mk 1:4 water baptism; 2 Co 11:2 virginity; 2 Pe 3:14 spotlessness

God promises to purify his people

Ezekiel 36:25 NASB95

“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.

See also Zep 3:9; Zec 13:1

Purification through Jesus Christ

Through pardon offered in his death

Hebrews 9:14 NASB95

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

See also Heb 12:24; 1 Jn 1:7

Through his word

John 15:3 NASB95

“You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

See also Jn 13:10

Through his presence in resisting temptation

James 4:7–8 NASB95

Submit therefore 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.

See also 1 Pe 5:9

Through hope built on his promises

Titus 2:12–13 NASB95

instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,

See also 1 Jn 3:3

Purification through judgment

In the OT

Leviticus 18:28 NASB95

so that the land will not spew you out, should you defile it, as it has spewed out the nation which has been before you.

See also Dt 13:5; Dt 17:7; Dt 17:12; Jdg 20:13; Mal 3:2–4

In the NT

1 Corinthians 5:13 NASB95

But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

Symbols of purity

Whiteness

Daniel 7:9 NASB95

“I kept looking Until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow And the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, Its wheels were a burning fire.

See also Ps 51:7; Is 1:18; Mt 17:2; Mt 28:3; Mk 16:5; Jn 20:12; Re 1:14

Light

1 John 1:7 NASB95

but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

See also Job 25:5; Eze 1:27; 2 Co 6:14; Eph 5:8–9

Washing

Psalm 26:6 NASB95

I shall wash my hands in innocence, And I will go about Your altar, O Lord,

See also Ps 51:2

Fire

Daniel 7:9–10 NASB95

“I kept looking Until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow And the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, Its wheels were a burning fire. “A river of fire was flowing And coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court sat, And the books were opened.

See also Is 33:14; Eze 8:2; Re 1:14–15