Think on These Things

Martha Wainright

Gladstone, Missouri

“Whatsoever things are pure…” – Phil. 4:8.

For sometime now I have tried to think of something in the world that is pure. But alas, I can’t think of anything! I phoned a very knowledgeable acquaintance of mine, the owner of Day’s Medical laboratories in K. C. Mo., and ask him to name some pure substance. After a time of contemplating this, he said he couldn’t think of a thing that is really pure. Can you? This is really something to think about. It seems that anything that comes to mind is either a mixture or has been defiled in some way.

Let’s consider the definition of the word pure. Webster’s Dictionary definition is: unmixed; clear; clean; free from foreign matter. We can understand that, can’t we? We often see the word pure in print, and it is often used in everyday conversation. But we are at a loss to find anything we can purely apply this definition to.

Now, let’s look at S. E. Vine’s definition, found in his Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. Pure: pure from defilement, not contaminated (from the same root as holy). There is the key – holy. This puts a new light on the subject.

Throughout the Bible the word pure is used. Sometimes in relation to a substance such as the materials used in the tabernacle: pure olive oil, pure myrrh, pure candle stick, etc. Perhaps these items were pure then, They wouldn’t be today, with our 20th century pollution. The offerer of these were to use the purest substances available. I believe God counted them completely pure because they represented the Holy, undefiled Son of Gold in one way or another. Isn’t this a glorious picture of us? We have a Holy nature (the Spirit or Christ), but in practice, since we still have an old nature also, we are not perfect (or pure). However, through faith in Christ, God sees us as pure. Just as the obedient (to God’s instructions), were counted holy in the Old Testament records. Abraham is one example - Romans 4:20-22. Imputed righteousness is a gift, “not of works lest any man should boast.” Eph. 2:8-9. 

“Every word of God is pure” Prov. 30:5. There it is, that is what we have been looking for. What is pure? The Word of God. We are cleansed by the Word (Jn. 15:3), and the Word of God satisfies (Jn. 4:13-14). No food or water that we partake of is perfectly pure, but thank God for what we have, as it sustains our mortal body. The Word of God enables us to yield to our new nature, the Holy Spirit endues us with power and the work of Calvary is ultimately “to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight” Col. 1:22. We are not only provisionally pure, but we also learn to walk in holiness.

It’s disgusting how much we are affected by the defilement of this world. We know that our spiritual nature cannot be touched by this defilement, but as to experience, that is not so. Our everyday existence is affected by worldly surroundings and the spirit of this “evil age,” and this in turn can influence us from without (our actions), and within (our thoughts).

How refreshing to drink from the pure springs of the Word of God and be cleansed. It is no wonder that we feel defiled by the world. The children of God are in the world, but not of it. Our instruction is to “reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” Romans 6:11. When we are translated from the power of darkness to the kingdom of light, we cannot feel at home in the world – Col. 1:13.

“The world hateth you” – Jn. 15:19. We can be congenial as long as our Heavenly Father leaves us here, but we don’t really “fit in.” Most of us work many hours for our provisions (corruptible) to live here, but our inheritance is “incorruptible, and undefiled” – I Peter 1:4.

There we have it, a knowledge and revelation of what is pure. We think about Jesus, the Word of God, made manifest. We think about the written Word of God and allow these words to penetrate to our inner most being. The Word of God “kisses” us. Our communion with the Lord is pure. He is saying to us, “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled – Song of Solomon 6:2. “Drink, yes, drink abundantly – S. of S. 5:1.

Scientists will never develop nor discover anything pure. This is one of God’s “secrets” and He alone is the Revealer of His secrets. But, praise the Lord, the Holy Spirit has been given to guide us into truth, and this is true, that, “Whatsoever is pure,” is “Whatsoever is Holy.” THINK ON THESE THINGS.