“And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” (1 John 3:3)
The missionary task is dominated by a future hope. We anticipate the day when the gospel will reach every corner of the earth and we will see the fulfillment of John’s vision in which “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, [stands] before the throne and before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9).
This hope not only motivates us to take the gospel to others, but it also empowers the missionary himself to press on toward what is to come. John previously wrote that when Christ appears, we will receive a glorious body like his and behold him without the veil of sin. This is the great inheritance which is promised to all who are sons of God (1 John 3:1-2). This promise will not only be fulfilled in the future, but it affects our lives here and now in deeply practical ways.
John says that the one who has this hope and who lives his life with this hope in Christ at the forefront of his mind “purifies himself as he is pure.” This purification is the natural outflow of eternal hope. As we anticipate “seeing [Christ] as he is” (1 John 3:2), we prepare ourselves for that day. This is not in any way suggesting that we must make ourselves worthy, as if we have to cleanse ourselves now in order to receive all that Christ offers in the future. Rather, it is preparation for our heavenly fellowship with God.
Christ has already purified us from our sins (Hebrews 1:3) and borne the full weight of our curse (Galatians 3:13) through his atoning work, leaving nothing else for us to do to make ourselves righteous or justified. However, there is much work to do to align our experience now to our experience to come.
Matthew Henry says it this way,
The sons of God know that their Lord is holy and pure; he is of purer heart and eyes than to admit any pollution or impurity to dwell with him. Those then who hope to live with him must study the utmost purity from the world, and flesh, and sin; they must grow in grace and holiness. Not only does their Lord command them to do so, but their new nature inclines them so to do; yea, their hope of heaven will dictate and constrain them so to do. They know that their high priest is holy, harmless, and undefiled. They know that their God and Father is the high and holy one, that all the society is pure and holy, that their inheritance is an inheritance of saints in light. It is a contradiction to such hope to indulge sin and impurity.
We do not purify ourselves to make ourselves acceptable to God; we purify ourselves to prepare ourselves for communion with God. If we truly hope and long for the revelation of Christ at his return and the transformation of our earthly bodies, should we not also seek to conform our lives to resemble now what we will be then?
This is vital to the proclamation of the gospel. If we proclaim the gospel with our mouths but do not live in such a way that reflects the purity of the one of whom we preach, will our message appeal to the unregenerate hearer? If we profess that in Christ we are justified and set free from sin without exhibiting these truths in the way we live, our deeds will contradict our words.
We will never reach perfection in this life, because our nature, though regenerate, is still fallen. However, our desire should be to come as close to the purity of Christ as possible. If we hope for what awaits us in the life to come, we should seek to live so as to prepare ourselves for the fulfillment of that hope.
We will find more satisfaction and enjoyment in this life the nearer we align ourselves to the purity of our Savior who will return to gather us to himself. In so doing, we will attend the preaching of the gospel with a character that is above reproach, and others may be drawn to Christ.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
You are the light of perfect purity in whom there is no darkness at all. We long for the day when our sinful nature will be cast off and we will receive the glorious bodies of the resurrection that are ours in Christ. Teach us not only to long for that day but also to live for that day, that we may grow nearer to Christ and bear a faithful witness to the world around us.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Prayer Requests:
- Tuesday: Pray for an upcoming short-term medical missions trip to Chile as the leadership team recruits participants and prepares to treat bodies and souls.
- Wednesday: Pray for missionaries reaching East Asians for Christ through Sow and Harvest as they translate biblical resources to help people understand, embrace, and hold on to the gospel.
- Thursday: Pray for the ABWE Member Care team as they provide Critical Care Counseling to promote spiritually healthy souls and flourishing, effective ministries.
- Friday: Pray for the ministry of the Belo Children’s Home in Brazil as they care for at-risk girls.
- Saturday: Pray for The Gambia Ministries to provide faithful biblical resources in the local language.
- Sunday: Pray for missionaries serving in Germany to bring the hope of Christ to the hopeless.
- Monday: Pray for missionaries serving with national partners to find creative ways to provide resources and training.
Featured Opportunity to Serve:
Administrative Assistant
Location: Togo
Hospital of Hope, in northern Togo, is looking for a skilled administrative assistant to assume tasks in general office work and data entry for hospital administration. Other duties include scheduling the logistics of travelers and short-term volunteers coming to the hospital.
