Positional and Practical Purity

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8 (ESV)

God’s standard of perfection is Christ. The purity of Christ is the bull’s-eye for the believer. To be pure in heart is to be right with God. You cannot have a right relationship with God without having a relationship with others. You cannot have a right relationship with others without having a right relationship with God.

Purity is impossible without the righteousness of Christ being imparted. The impartation and imputation of the righteousness of Christ takes place at the moment of conversion. The righteousness of Christ is deposited to your account. Your new identity in Christ provides you with a righteousness that you could never produce. In Christ, you are positionally pure and fit for heaven.

The Christian life is a journey of working out what God has worked in. As you grow spiritually, you learn how to exhibit practical purity as a result of your positional purity.

• “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.” Eph. 1:7-8 (ESV)
• “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.” Rom. 6:11-12 (ESV)

The righteousness of Christ is a grace gift from God. God is holy and demands His followers to be holy. Live in light of your position in Christ. Pursue holiness in private and in public. Stay in God’s will by staying in God’s Word.

Following Jesus Every Day,

Stephen Trammell