GOD’S WORDS PURIFY

“How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to YOUR WORD” – Psalm 119:9

Not only are they pure, GOD’S WORDS PURIFY: “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word” (Psa.119:9). God’s Word is a highly potent Spiritual Cleansing Agent. While growing up, our parents used to tell us to wash our dirty faces because “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” Though this saying is not in the Bible, it makes spiritual sense! However, the Bible equates god­liness not with scrubbed skin, but with pure hearts. We abide on the path of purity by living according to God’s Word!

The main point of Psalm 119 is that a faithful person should stir up himself to meditate on God’s Word in order to be established in the Lord. This section is focused on the Purifying Power of God’s Words. Keeping our lives and hearts pure comes by keeping both in alignment with God’s Word. The blessed work of sanctification is wrought in the heart by the Spirit of God and His Word. We cleanse our way (conduct) by obeying His Word. When we delight ourselves in God’s Word we will hide it in our heart, meditate on it and share it with others. Whoever internalizes God’s Word will be blessed, to rejoice in the purity, living by God’s Word produces!

We are cleansed by the Word (vv.9-11). The Word delivers us from drowning in a sea of impurity and enables us to stay pure in a filthy envi­ronment. We cannot do this on our own, but by the counsel, strength, and wisdom that come from reading, studying, meditating on, and obeying God's Word. The Word [dabar] of God is likened to water that constantly cleanses the soul (Eph.5:26). Water is essential to cleanliness and personal hygiene. Those who neglect it soon become dirty and unacceptable to others. Similarly, Christians who neglect God's Word, become defiled by the evils of this world, making them unfit for fellowship with God and with other believers. The preventive remedy to falling into sin is to hide or keep God’s Word in our hearts (v.11).

In order to walk in purity, the Bible must be our guide-map and life’s compass for direction. But even with the most accurate map one can still lose the way if it’s not followed. Whoever desires to be holy and to have a pure heart, must keep his or her eye attentive to the Holy Bible and be schooled by the Holy Spirit. The psalmist made a confession worthy of emulating: “With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!” (v.10). The narrow way is never hit upon by chance; neither does an inattentive person ever lead a holy life. We can sin without thought, but we will need all our heart, mind, soul, and strength to walk in righteousness! A transformed heart yearns for fellowship with God: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Mt.5:8).

Human efforts cannot produce a pure heart, because human hearts are deceitful, selfish, disobedient, and in need of divine help. In mercy, God sent His Son, Jesus, to forgive us our sins and create pure hearts in us. Jesus prayed for His disciples to be “sanctified” through Himself and the truth of God’s Word: “I have given them YOUR WORD; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world…Sanctify them by Your truth. YOUR WORD is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth” (Jh.17: 14-19). Jesus “gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and PURIFY FOR HIMSELF His own special people, zealous for good works” (Tit.2:14). There is Purifying Power in God’s Word!