Читать книгу The Gospel Day; Or, the Light of Christianity - Charles Ebert Orr - Страница 30

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“Keep thyself pure.” 1 Tim. 5:22. In such commands there is something animating and ennobling. To enable us to have some conception of purity we have only to think of heaven and of the angels. This [pg 089] world has been betimes visited by celestial beings. They are spoken of as being clothed in white and having countenances shining as the light. Mat. 28:3; Mark 16:5; John 20:12; Acts 1:9, 10. White is an emblem of purity. These transient visitors from above robed in white raiment represent the purity of heaven. Purity is not ascribed alone to heavenly beings, but it is a characteristic of the redeemed upon the earth. Purity is effected through the atoning blood. The sweet singer David said: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

The beloved John in a vision saw “a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb.” Rev. 22:1. This “river of water of life” is the cleansing stream of God's salvation. “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Rev. 22:17. This means salvation. “I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” Rev. 21:6. This is the cleansing fountain of salvation. This stream is pure. It flows from the throne of God. It is as pure as its source. Whosoever enters this crystal stream will be made as pure as its waters.

Though the soul be stained with scarlet stains,

It shall be white as snow;

Though the soul be stained with crimson stains,

It shall be white as wool.

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The prophet Isaiah in speaking of the cleansing fountain of salvation in that day, said: “And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy sin.” Isa. 1:25. The cleansing stream will remove all the dross and leave the soul pure. These are garments of salvation. This is not literal, but the cleansing away of sin and the infusion of righteousness is represented by the taking away of filthy rags and being clothed in the garments of salvation. The Lamb's wife, which is his church—which is his people—was “arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” Rev. 19:8.

We will now give a Bible lesson describing the purity of man through the blood of Jesus.

A pure soul. “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.” 1 Pet. 1:22.

A pure heart. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Mat. 5:8.

A pure mind. “This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you, in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance.” 2 Pet. 3:1.

A pure conscience. “I thank God whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience.” 2 Tim. 1:3.

A pure language. “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the [pg 091] name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.” Zeph. 3:9.

Pure thoughts. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Phil. 4:8.

A pure religion. “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this. To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” Jas. 1:27.

When man is made thus pure in all the faculties of his being he is said to be pure even as Christ is pure (1 John 3:3), and is then a perfect example of purity to the world. 1 Tim. 4:12.

The question is asked, “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?” Psa. 24:3. The answer is, “He that hath clean hands and a pure heart.” Purity is a requisite for heaven. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” In this language there is indubitably implied the impossibility of seeing God without purity of heart. God is pure, and heaven is a pure place, and without purity of soul and heart and life you can never enter heaven nor see God.