Reference: Purity
Hastings
1. Ceremonial purity is acquired by the due observance of external rites. The Jewish law prescribed various regulations by means of which outward defilement might be removed and the 'unclean' person be restored to fellowship with God. But the OT recognizes that moral purity is essential to acceptable worship of the Holy God (Ps 24:4); the question of Eliphaz expresses the conviction of those who know how absolute is the Divine holiness: 'Shall a man be pure before his Maker?' (Job 4:17 Revised Version margin); only to the man who 'purifies himself' can such a God reveal His glory (Ps 18:26, the verb is reflexive). The writer of the Ep. to the Hebrews reminds Christians who were familiar with the OT ceremonial of purification that the voluntary sacrifice of the Son of God is the means of purification under the new and better Covenant; 'the blood of Christ' removes the inward defilement which unfits sinful men for the service of the living God (Ps 9:13 f.).
2. In the NT 'pure' has the more restricted meaning of 'chaste' in a few passages. Underlying the true reading of '/2-Corinthians/11/3/type/asv'>2Co 11:3, 'the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ,' is the metaphor of 2Co 11:2 (RV), 'I espoused you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ' (cf. Tit 2:5; 1Pe 3:2). The same noun is tr 'pureness' in 2Co 6:8 (RV); cf. 1Ti 4:12; 5:2; also, for the wider meaning of the verb, Jas 4:8; 1Pe 1:22; 1Jo 3:3; and of the adjective, Php 4:8; 1Ti 5:22; Jas 3:17. See, further, art. Holiness.
J. G. Tasker.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.
Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
Have mercy upon me, O Jehovah; Behold my affliction which I suffer of them that hate me, Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death;
With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; And with the perverse thou wilt show thyself froward.
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; Who hath not lifted up his soul unto falsehood, And hath not sworn deceitfully.
by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;
For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy: for I espoused you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, 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.
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an ensample to them that believe, in word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity.
the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, in all purity.
to be'sober-minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed:
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.