SAVE FROM WRATH AND MAKE ME PURE!

Monday, March 11, 2019

SAVE FROM WRATH AND MAKE ME PURE!

1 John 3:2-3

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

           The Greek word for “purifieth” is hagnizo and it means “to make clean, ceremonially and morally.” It springs from the base word hagnos which means “properly clean, innocent, modest.” The first word is a COMMAND while the second word is a MODEL “even as he [Jesus] is pure.”

           There is an old hymn that we sometimes sing that tells us the source of our needed cleansing. It is called Rock of Ages.

Rock Of Ages

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee;

Let the water and the blood,

From Thy wounded side which flowed,

Be of sin the double cure;

Save from wrath and make me pure.

           Jesus provides for us a place to hide our shame and the smudges of sin. He covers us with his hand. The reference to the water and blood is from the scene at the cross. The spear in Jesus’ side provided a cleansing flow. It accomplished two things. It first saved from the wrath which we deserved and then went on to purge and cleanse us. It makes us pure.

Foul, I to the fountain fly;

Wash me, Savior, or I die.

1 John 1:7

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth [makes clean; purges, and purifies] us from all sin.

Dear Lord, thank you for the miracle of purity applied to this poor, foul sinner. AMEN