By nature, man is full of pride and pretty certain of his own greatness. From early childhood, he seeks the praise of others for what he deems great accomplishments. He constantly boasts of his abilities, both physically and mentally. In order for a man to get saved, or a saved man to get his fellowship right with the Lord following salvation, each individual must humble himself under the mighty hand of God (1 Peter 5:6). Conviction brings such humility. Eventually, God’s hand causes the mouth of pride to shut. It reminds the sinner of his sinfulness and the just guilt he feels within. It shows him that he comes short of the glory of God and stands in need of repentance.
Purity often involves a process. The twofold purification process in the believer's life commences at the moment of salvation. This process then progresses as the believer walks with the Lord. The individual's faith in the finished work of Christ washes away one's sin in Christ’s blood. Christ's blood cleanses completely and purifies every believer from his sin. This cleansing and purification remains forever settled between the Lord and the believer. The born-again Christian will never and can never again be any less pure in his position with the Lord. Peter confirms the positional purity when he wrote that his audience had “purified” (past tense) their souls (1 Peter 1:22). Our purity in position, settled by trusting Christ as Saviour (Titus 2:14), cannot be reversed. However, positional purity does not guarantee purity on a daily basis during our walk. The Christian's practice (his walk) must by choice remain pure.
