Purified (Revisited)

Purified

"'Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me, and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,' says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness." Malachi 3:1-3 (NASB)

If you think that the sins of Christians are different than the sins of other people, you are correct. They are worse. "They are worse for when a believer sins, they not only break the Law of God, but they break the heart of God. When a believer deliberately sins, it isn't just the disobedience of a servant to a master, or the rebellion of a subject against a king; it's the offense of a child against the loving Father. The sins we cherish and think we get away with bring grief to the heart of God." (Wiersbe, 2002) We all know what these sins are in our own hearts, but have we considered what they do to the heart of God?

In Malachi, the last of the writing prophets, the people had sinned against God in a number of ways, the first being that they lacked love for God. This was also the first sin that Jesus mentioned in Revelation 2:4, "But I have this against you, that you have left your first love." (NASB) It is probably listed first because the lack of love for God is the source for all other sins. There is a definite lack of love for God in the world today even among believers. We are guilty of trying to squeeze God into our molds instead of being transformed by Him as it says in Romans 12:2, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." (NIV) The world is a difficult place to live with the temptation always before us to water down, set aside, or squeeze what God says so that it will fit the politically correct byword of the day. The world and many Christians want God's blessings but not His judgement. As believers, we need to remember that God's judgement will come whether we want it to or not. We want everything that is nice and pleasant in God's Word and we forget that we will be held accountable for everything we do and don't do. One of the ways we avoid this is by not knowing God's Word at all, almost as if what we don't know won't hurt us. Of course, that will not be true. We are responsible for studying God's Word and hiding it in our hearts as in Psalm 119:11, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (KJV) And, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV) We need to face the fact that we have a responsibility to honor and serve God, but we also have a responsibility to know Him. And how can we love Him if we do not know Him.

Many times we walk through life oblivious to what we ourselves are doing (or not doing) and we can leave wreckage in our wake. We should always be examining ourselves against the example of Jesus. We should take stock at the end of each day, thinking about what we have done, what we should have done, and if there is anything that we have done that requires apology or making right somehow. I am not saying that we should or can purify ourselves, but how can we even ask to be purified if we are not being careful how we walk for it says, "For this reason it says, 'Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.' Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:14-16 (NASB)

The process of purification is not usually a pleasant process. A Father disciplines those He loves, "My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in." Proverbs 3:11-12 (NIV) "All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." Hebrews 12:11 (NASB)

To begin the purification process, we need to ask God to bring things to our attention that need correcting, changing, or remodeling. If we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, then we can rely on Him to bring conviction to our hearts, and if we are listening, the process can begin. We need to ask as David did in Psalm 139:23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (KJV)

God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. "Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." Psalm 51:6-7 (NASB) "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." Psalm 51:17 (NASB) If we ask, He will answer, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 (NIV)

So let's get to know what He requires of us, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8 (NIV) And let's cry out to Him "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit." Psalm 51:10-12 (NASB)

Dear Lord, Please make me aware of what needs to be changed in me. Help me to study Your word and hide it in my heart so that I might not sin against You. Let me not break Your heart but let me bring joy to You and Your kingdom.

Originally posted June 15, 2010.

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