I am thinking today about things that are pure. It is interesting to note various products and companies that identify what they offer as “pure.” You can buy beauty products that are 100% pure organic and natural. There is a restaurant named Pure Eatery that offers “fresh honest food.” You can go to Pure Yoga which claims, “many practices, one intention.” Sherwin Williams offers a paint that is “pure white.” I wonder if they also have pure black, pure red, or pure yellow. Pure Talk is a company that offers “simply smarter wireless.” The word “pure” seems to have popular usage for reaching customers who are intrigued by that tag.

The online Urban Dictionary says the number one meaning of “pure” is “something that is innocent and cute.” Like, “Wow, she is a pure angel!” Pure in what way, I would ask? It is interesting to notice how this word is used. I just realized I am sitting here with a bottle of water on my desk that is Nestle Pure Life. It, BTW, lists ingredients as pure water and three other things. What things do we expect should be pure? Certainly, we want pure water. We also want to live with a pure conscience, close friends to have a pure heart and pure intentions, and radio stations that play pure country.

But what does the word mean? “Pure” has to mean the absence of something. Pure water is supposedly unpolluted, having no impurities. A pure heart would be one with no evil or sinful intentions. A pure mind would be one uncontaminated by lies and deceit. Given the meaning of “unmixed with stuff that dilutes or spoils,” it may be difficult to name anything or anyone as pure “pure.”

A thing that is pure would be more desirable and valuable than the thing that is impure, wouldn’t it? We would rather have pure gold than 10 karat gold. We do not want to drink water that we know is only 75 % pure. How would we feel if God made us only 75% pure and 25% unforgiven? Would that be OK? We would continue to be under condemnation even if we were 99% pure. But, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

If we believe and trust in God, we have been purified by the perfect love of God through His sinless Son who died for us. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:8-9). 100% cleansed. 100% forgiven. 100% saved. Pure!