Purification

When water is purified it goes through a process of removing all of the contaminates that are in it. This might include removing any large particles that float in the water, or the treating or boiling the water in order to remove any chemicals or bacteria that pollute it.

Whatever method is used to purify water, they all have the same purpose of removing the impurities within the water in order to make it more pure. If you take a dirty swimming pool for example, you might take a long pool cleaning net and take out any of the larger particles like leaves and twigs, and after those things are removed you may turn on the pool filter pump that removes anything that you couldn’t get with the net. By the time that you are done you should be left with a beautiful clean pool.

Jesus calls His believers to depart from their sins, and this means that all things that are not right and correct according to the Word of God need to be completely removed from your life, just like purifying dirty water.

2 Timothy 2:19-21  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

Something that we need to remember about God is that He created everything, and everyone. We are His creation. He made us, and we must submit ourselves to the Lord by obeying His commands to keep ourselves from sin. No one likes having a disobedient pet, do they? It can become very upsetting when they continue to disregard your instructions and do whatever they feel like, whether you want them to do it or not. How do you think God feels then when people can have His commands in written form right in front of them in the Bible, but choose to ignore it? How do you think He feels? 

God hates sin, and because the desire of every Christian should be to love Him in everything, as His children we need to remove from our lives everything that makes the Lord angry. We need to examine ourselves and piece by piece make certain that we do not sin against Him in any way. If we used to do some things in our past that we learn God does not like, we need to put off those sinful deeds and do what is right.

Ephesians 4:21-32  If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Neither give place to the devil.

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

People come from a wide, diverse range of backgrounds, and may have different things which they need to correct in their life. Some may need to learn how to tell the truth instead of lies, or some may need to learn what it means to be humble and forsake pride. Some may need to learn how to love, and not to hate, but it is through this process of change that we can finally become pleasing to the Father. And it is a process that might take time, as we learn to do what is right, but in the end we should be just like a pure cup of water.

In Christ

Andrew