|
Purity
by Steve Bussey
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for
they shall see God.” - Matthew 5:8
It is a word that has been so
misunderstood in our present world. Our judgment about purity
has been so clouded by our anti-pure culture to the point
where aiming at purity is not only considered “prudish” - but
is even considered “oppressive.”
How did we get to this point where we
take PRIDE in impurity to be virtuous and consider those
focusing on the pursuit of purity to be vicious PRUDES?
Have you ever heard of Nietzsche?
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), was a
German philosopher who championed the idea of “nihilism” - a
belief rooted in extreme pessimism and radical skepticism.
Nihilism argues that values are baseless. It is a philosophy
that rejects morality as altogether meaningless.
Nietzsche hated purity - and saw it
simply as a weapon used by those in power (for him, the
church), to control and oppress those not wanting to conform.
He said the following in his treatise on “The Anti-Christ”:
“The pure soul is a pure lie. So long
as the priest, that professional denier, calumniator and
poisoner of life, is accepted as a higher variety of man,
there can be no answer to the question, What is truth? Truth
has already been stood on its head when the obvious attorney
of mere emptiness is mistaken for its representative.”
Nietzsche championed an idea called
“the transvaluation of values” - where values that were
celebrated would be demonized and those that were denigrated
would become sacred.
And in a world absent of purity we do
not see God.
It is Nietzsche who declares, in his
psycho-socially constructed world that devalued purity, that
“God is dead.”
Sound familiar? Yes - we are living in
a world anchored (whether consciously or subconsciously) in
nihilism... and we are witnessing the fruit born from a
philosophy rooted in the value of impurity. Jesus warned us
that the fruit of this type of philosophy cannot be good - and
the fruit exposes the falsity of the philosophy (Matthew
7:15-20).
When we think impurity is the purest
motive, we are in danger. Proverbs 16:2 wisely reminds us that
"all a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are
weighed by the LORD."
Welcome to dystopia.
It’s not as fun as some might imagine.
In fact, it is hell on earth.
William Booth witnessed such a dystopia
in the East End of London and founded The Salvation Army to
combat the poverty, misery, and sin produced by such
unlicensed and delusional bondage.
Booth stated in his book, “Purity of
Heart”:
“We Salvationists are always singing or
praying or talking about a Pure Heart. Indeed, there are few
subjects of which we more frequently speak or in which we more
truly glory…
Perhaps nothing delights the GENUINE
Salvationist more than the DEFINITE TESTIMONIES of those
living in the enjoyment of the Blessing, or the EARNEST
PRAYERS for its bestowment, or in the FERVENT APPEALS TO
COMRADES to secure this Pearl of Great Price, so often heard
of in our ranks.
And yet I am afraid that MANY OF OUR
SOLDIERS DO NOT DEFINITELY EXPERIENCE AND OPENLY PROFESS THE
ENJOYMENT OF THE BLESSING; and I have been thinking that,
perhaps, it is because THE SUBJECT IS NOT SO UNDERSTOOD AS IT
SHOULD BE.”
And in our present world that is more
true than at any time in history.
When we devalue purity and see those
who promote it as “prudes” - then we must replace purity with
impurity and promote “pride.” And godlessness is what ensues.
So what do we do with a world so
discombobulated and confused on this topic?
Psalm 119:9 counsels us in the way we
should go: "How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word." What is God's Word to our
generation?
"Purity" in Matthew 5:8 uses the Greek
word, "katharos" (καθαρός), meaning "properly" or "without
admixture" - a heart that is purged of sin and wholly set
apart or sanctified fully. Words used to describe this state
include, "clean, pure, unstained, either literally or
ceremonially or spiritually; guiltless, innocent, upright."
That convicts me. That's Holy Spirit
conviction - a challenge that I can either deny, or set up as
my "aim," my "purpose," my "telos" (end goal). The desire to
"be holy as God is holy" (1 Peter 1:15) is a worthy value and
not one to be transvalued. "To be like Jesus" should be the
hope that possesses the very core (heart) of who we are.
To do so requires we set aside "inbred
sin" or the deep "roots of bitterness" (Hebrews 12:15), that
we "put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly
nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and
greed, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5). Instead, we aim to
focus on "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is
right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about
such things" (Philippians 4:8).
Charles Wesley poetically stated it as
such:
"Break off the yoke of inbred sin,
And fully set my spirit free;
I can not rest till pure within,
Till I am wholly lost in thee."
The Psalmist reminded us that those who
want to ascend the mountain of the Lord and stand in His holy
place are the ones who have "clean hands and a pure heart, who
does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god" (Psalm
24:3-4).
Reflect on the word of Charles Wesley,
written in the midst of the First Evangelical Awakening in
1742. May we once again aim for the blessings of purity of
heart and see God revive our generation:
1 O for a heart to praise my God,
a heart from sin set free;
a heart that's sprinkled with the blood
so freely shed for me:
2 A heart resigned, submissive, meek,
my great Redeemer's throne;
where only Christ is heard to speak,
where Jesus reigns alone:
3 A humble, lowly, contrite heart,
believing, true, and clean,
which neither life nor death can part
from him that dwells within:
4 A heart in every thought renewed,
and full of love divine;
perfect and right and pure and good —
a copy, Lord, of thine.
5 Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart,
come quickly from above;
write thy new name upon my heart,
thy new best name of Love.
|
