The Value of a Christian’s Moral Purity
Remember me, my God, for good. — Nehemiah 13:31
I desire that the men in every place pray, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. — 1 Timothy 2:8
Author
Faustino de Jesús Zamora Vargas
Summary: Holiness is not optional. Although we are not perfect, we must grow in Christ each day and show it through our actions and devotion to the Lord. We are saved not by our works but by His mercy; the Holy Spirit renews us and helps us recognize temptation and remain faithful. Jerusalem’s experience after Nehemiah’s absence reminds us that even after restoration, we can neglect God’s commandments. That is why we need to reform and consecrate ourselves continually, both personally and as a church. The new birth also calls us to moral purity: to offer our lives to righteousness, close spiritual breaches, and bear witness as light and salt.
Holiness is a serious matter. It is not optional but imperative. Since we are not perfect while we are in this world, that is all the more reason to become better each day in Christ in every area of life. The world will see Christ in our acts of good faith and in our genuine devotion to the Lord as He makes the process of sanctification possible in the lives of His children.
But for us as individuals and as a church, continually reforming and renewing ourselves is a spiritual value through which we bear witness. The world has little to offer us in matters of ethics and morality.
The apostle Paul said in his letter to Titus: “He saved us, not because of our own works of righteousness but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). We live in a world where it is not difficult to fall into temptation. Walking against the current is exceedingly hard; every day the enemy disguises himself as an “angel of light” and tries to draw us into his procession. Only in a close relationship with the Lord does the Holy Spirit enable us to open our spiritual eyes, confront our realities, and remember the commitment we have made to Him. As Christians, we need to rededicate and reconsecrate ourselves every day through the power of the Gospel and the guidance of the Spirit, who reforms and renews who we are in Christ.
It seemed that the people of God had learned their lesson. Rebuilt walls and restored hearts, praise and devotion to God. But all it took was for Nehemiah to be away from Jerusalem for a few years, and the people went back to their old ways and forgot God’s commandments for generations. The temple was profaned through indiscipline and neglect, tithes were no longer given, marriages became unequal yokes, and the Sabbath was not observed. New spiritual breaches were opening, and it was necessary to restore order, discipline the people again, and reform everything from the beginning. Nehemiah (13) took up the challenge once more and, with the Lord’s help, brought order to the chaos. Does this sound relevant today?
Our humanity makes us stumble and sometimes even fall. But the Lord never loses control of our lives, and He calls us to holiness. Paul exhorted the Romans: “I speak in human terms because of the limitations of your human nature. You once offered the members of your bodies to serve impurity, which leads to more and more wickedness; now offer them to serve righteousness, which leads to holiness” (Rom. 6:19).
The new birth in Christ challenges us to imitate Him in everything, including our moral lives. We are not perfect, but He who began the good work in us will perfect it until we see Him face to face. He gave the brothers and sisters in Thessalonica the same challenge: “God did not call us to impurity but to holiness” (1 Thess. 4:7). Moral purity is an indispensable link—a value—in the chain of holiness. It is a great challenge for us as we live in a world where moral values are not reformed and where the teachings of the living God have been removed from secular education. My prayer is that Jesus, the great reformer, will place us as workers of courage in the breaches the enemy has opened, so that we may truly be the light and salt of the earth.
God bless you!
Suggested reading: Nehemiah 13