Lesson 9: Purity 103
attitude, and right trust is added right words, words that do not misuse
God’s name or seek to deceive others. For additional insights compare
Psalm 24 with the closely related Psalm 15.
The Reward of a Habit of Purity (Psalm 24:5–6)
24:5–6. Verses 5–6 remind the reader of the rewards for the disciple pur-
suing purity. Chief ly “He will receive blessing from the Lord” (24:5), the
creator and sustainer of the world and all within it as affirmed in verses
1–2. Blessing is a powerful Old Testament concept inclusive of both spir-
itual and material well-being. The pure also experience vindication (the
Hebrew word sedā·qā( h)) which at its root means “righteousness, jus-
tice, innocence, and prosperity.” These are all powerful rewards. Verse
6 is both a reminder and an exhortation that purity is established in
an intimate relationship, as one seeks the face of God. The reward and
outgrowth of purity is an intimacy with God that is deeper than simple
adherence to rules and regulations as an attempt to avoid punishment.
The Example of a Habit of Purity (Ephesians 5:1–2)
5:1–2. Out of gratitude for the astonishing gift of salvation, the second
half of Ephesians appeals to believers to live according to the calling they
have received. Purity for disciples stems from hearts of worship and their
status as beloved children, children who live according to the example
set before them. In verse 2 the model is that of the self-sacrificial love of
Christ, as Paul beckons his followers to imitate his example.
The Application of a Habit of Purity (Ephesians 5:3–7)
5:3–7. With these verses Paul moves to specific examples, calling on
Christians to make conscious choices regarding their attitudes and
actions. For the disciple, knowing Jesus intimately in worship fuels a
desire to live according to his pattern of God-honoring, sacrificial love
in the midst of an impure world. In other words, when purity is the state
of proper being (worship) it then results in proper doing (ac t ions).
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the first application is in the area of sexual-
ity. Christians are urged to avoid any porneia, translated here as “sexual
immorality.” Our culture is inundated with unhealthy sexual ideation