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The Principle of Purity
By: Bill Bryant, Wooddale Church of Christ Purity is a principle that receives tremendous emphasis throughout the New Testament.
As one man said, “Christianity is not the world made just a little better.”
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told us that only the pure in heart shall see God (Matt. 5:8). In Titus 2, we find that God’s grace is not to be interpreted as a license to sin, as so many seem to believe. Instead, grace teaches that there is an appropriate and proper way to live: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:11-14).
Christians are commanded to present their bodies as a living sacrifice that is “holy, acceptable unto God” (Rom. 12:1).
We are not to yield any part of our bodies as instruments of sin (6:13).
We have been bought with a price and are given the challenge to glorify God in our bodies (I Cor. 6:20).
We are admonished to examine everything carefully and hold fast to only that which is good (I Thess. 5:21).
I am convinced that one of the greatest reasons for our lack of evangelistic success is that the world does not see a significant difference in the life of some Christians when compared to those in the world.
Notice the strategy for effective evangelism outlined in I Peter 2:9-10: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
The first part of this verse outlines the uniqueness of the Christian life and the church.
This is the attraction phase of the Great Commission, for there will be some non-Christians who are looking for a better way to live. Then there is the proclamation phase where the credit for the differences between the child of God and the world is given to the Savior.
The One Who called us through His Word and redeemed us is praised.
Our life and lips proclaim the message, “Come and see” (John 1:39, 46).
Again, successful evangelism begins with purity of life on the part of those who claim to be New Testament Christians.
Martin Lloyd-Jones expresses the thought well when he writes: "Our Lord attracted sinners because He was different. They drew near to Him because they felt that there was something different about Him… And the world expects us to be different. This idea that you are going to win people to the Christian faith by showing them that, after all, you are remarkably like them, is theologically and psychologically a profound blunder."
In my thirty years of being a Christian, I have observed a number of different methods of presenting the Gospel to the lost. The brotherhood continues to look for the perfect method. I heard someone say in a sermon years ago that which should be echoed again and again throughout the brotherhood: “While the church continues to look for better methods, the Lord continues to look for better men.”
But what happens when individual Christians fail to take the call to purity seriously?
Not only is that person’s reputation affected, but the reputation of the congregation where he attends is also affected. One can easily determine how God considers the matter of sin in the camp when the New Testament is carefully studied, especially the book of Acts.
Specific incidents are recorded that show God’s disdain for sin.
Acts 5, for example, records the incident where Ananias and Sapphira lied to the church. They were both struck dead to serve as an eternal reminder that God holds us responsible for our actions.
A few chapters later, we read of Simon, a sorcerer who became a Christian in Samaria as a result of Philip’s preaching. His sin was recorded along with the appropriate actions of the church because he had sinned. He was told, “Thy heart is not right with God” (Acts 8:21). He was told to repent because it does make a difference as to how one lives in the church. Church discipline was taught and enforced for the sake of church purity.
The New Testament is crystal clear about what must be done when repentance does not occur.
Withdrawal of fellowship is commanded against false teachers (Rom. 16:17).
Also, the church is not allowed to “keep company with someone who is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner" (I Cor. 5:11).
Those who sin personally against other Christians and do not repent are to be disciplined as well (Matt. 15:15-17), along with those who walk disorderly (II Thess. 3:6).
Most congregations have ignored these commands.
Why?
Do they not believe that God knows best how to direct the affairs of the church?
He does.
Man does not (Jer. 10:23).
Many consider that practice of church discipline unloving, but it is out of love for lost souls and the purity of the church that such drastic action must be taken.
If we are going to be the Lord’s people, then we cannot pick and choose the commands we want to follow and ignore the rest.
Every command has been placed in the Bible by an all-knowing God to be obeyed.
We cannot preach the importance of obedience to denominations and to the lost and dying world and then ignore the command to withdraw fellowship from those who refuse to repent.
One major reason why the New Testament church is not growing today as it should is because of the failure to abide by the principle of purity.
