Purity

1 Tim. 5:22

Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. 

Hastiness often leads to error, and in this case, to sin. If Timothy or any church body is hasty in establishing leaders [laying on their hands], then the consequence is that they are partially responsible for the sins that arise from their choices. Choosing leaders is something that must be done with prayer and the leading of the Spirit. The huge big overriding admonition is to keep yourself pure. Pure in making decisions and pure in one's own spirit and body. Who would have even thought that impurity could have resulted from incorrectly choosing a church leader. 

What other areas demand purity? 

• Ps. 24:3-4- Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord/ And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. 
• Mt. 5:8-"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
• 2 Cor. 11:2-3- For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 
• Phil. 1:10-so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
• Phil. 4:8-Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
• 2 Tim. 2:22-So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
• Titus 2:3-5-Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
• Heb. 10:22-let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
• James 1:27-Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
• James 3:17-But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
• 1 Pet. 1:22-Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,
• 1 Pet. 3:1-2-Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct.

Father,

So much to think about. Teach my heart to be pure so that my choices, thoughts, attitudes, and conduct are pure. I confess allowing sin in my life to cloud and stain my heart keeping it from being purely Yours. Forgive.

In Jesus name,

Amen