Whatsoever things are PURE
Philippians 4:8 - “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are PURE,”
Why do people desire pure things and yet have no desire to be pure themselves? They choose to own pure gold or jewelry considered original, untainted, and solid. We want to appear pure from the outside, but our hearts are far from being pure.
Purity is not from the materials we own. It does not come from what makes us glitter and pure outside. It has to come from within. That is what this text is conveying to us. Let us stop trying to be pure or genuine by material things. Let us be pure ourselves. And it begins inside.
Many people, including believers, are living with deep regrets because they have allowed impure thoughts to enter their minds. Our mind is so powerful that it dictates how our heart would feel and our body behaves. Whatever we store in our minds will manifest into action. Our joy and desire for a life of peace depend on what we allow to enter, and it is within our power to choose.
That is why the Apostle Paul says, if you want to enjoy the Peace God already gave us, think and only consider whatever things are pure!
Several Greek words are used in the Bible to describe the word “pure.” The English language has not caught up with the richness of the Greek language. In this text, pure in Greek is “hagnos.” It means “purely, sincere, and with pure motives.” The other definitions are “holy, sacred, and free from ceremonial defilement.”
Paul is aware of the influence of our cognitive process. What we think will determine how we feel and behave. Right and godly thinking, instead of erratic thinking, we will develop attitudes and habits that will lead us to godliness. No wonder Paul presents a list of qualities to saturate the believer’s mind: “Whatever is true, honest, or just, and in our text today, whatever is pure, think on these things.”
What does it mean to think about whatever is pure? The word think means “to ponder, to give proper weight and value to, and to allow the resultant appraisal to influence the way life is to be lived” (Motyer, J. A., The Message of Philippians). “Pure” here means “holy” in the sense of “moral purity.”
To sum it all up, it is the conscious decision to saturate our minds with thoughts that are godly, proper, virtuous, things not tainted by anything sinful, and free from impure motives. Being pure must affect every fiber of our being. This is done when we begin to be mindful of what we watch, read, and do. The thoughts of spirituality, morality, worldview, and the different pursuits in life must all be driven by the strong desire to be pure. This decision will help us fight against sin, shame, and regrets, and it will bring us closer to God.
Maintain the purity of God’s Word in our minds to avoid sinning against God. Psalm 119:11 - “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
This is done by reading God’s Word, memorizing it, meditating on it, and exercising or doing what it declares. Psalm 12:6 - “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.”
The Word of God is one of the effective ways we can protect our hearts and minds to only think about whatever is pure. 2 Corinthians 10:5 - “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”
In James 3:17 - “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and hypocrisy.”
The message Paul gives must make us realize that to think about whatever is pure will allow and produce in us the purity of motive, purpose, words, and actions. Paul tells Timothy and all servants of God in 1 Timothy 5:22 - “…keep thyself pure.” Paul also says to all believers that we will face God, and he desires to present his spiritual children, “2 Corinthians 11:2 - “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”
Conclusion:
Because we still struggle with sin, we will find ourselves away from God. It is a reality we face daily. But we have the Spirit residing in us who will help us return to God. We must pray like David in Psalm 51:7-10 - “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. [8] Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. [9] Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. [10] Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
As God’s children and servants, our lives ought to have developed the continuous desire to remain pure.