(Photo by Dương Trần Quốc on Unsplash. Berean Standard Bible.)
Welcome to the Hope Bible School verse-by-verse Bible study of 1 John. This is Jeff M Newman. Get a new lesson every other week on Mondays at 12:00 PM Pacific.
In Lesson 80, we are going to study the second part of 1 John 3:3.
Let’s read this part of the verse.
1 John 3:3 …purifies themselves...
Let’s go over the definitions of the words.
Purifies (48. hagnizó) — means to cleanse, make pure, or set apart. In the Bible, it often means intentionally purifying your heart and life for God. It’s ongoing, not a one-time event.
Themselves (1438. heautou) — emphasizes personal responsibility. The action is carried out by the believer, not by someone else, showing that purifying oneself is an intentional, active choice.
In other words, a believer intentionally and continually pursues moral and spiritual purity through self-examination, repentance, and setting themselves apart from sin as an act of devotion to Christ.
In 1 John 3:2, we learned that when Christ appears, we will be like Him (See Lesson 77) because we will see Him as He is (See Lesson 78). This promised future transformation creates a living hope in the believer (See Lesson 79).
Anyone who truly has this hope in Jesus does not remain passive. Instead, they purify themselves, intentionally pursuing holiness and cleansing their lives from moral and spiritual defilement.
In the Bible, purification is not just about avoiding sin. It is about devoting your life entirely to Christ.
We are called to purify ourselves continually. This is an active, ongoing process, not a one-time event.
It is important to understand that this practice of purification does not earn salvation. This happens after someone is saved. It flows naturally from a heart that longs to be like Christ and is preparing to meet Him face to face.
God provides the power to purify, but we are called to pursue purity as a daily discipline of faith.
Now let’s look at some practical ways you can pursue purity in your life.
* Abide in Christ.
If you want to purify yourself, it is necessary to abide in Christ. This means staying continually connected to Him. Apart from Christ, you can do nothing, but in Him, He purifies your heart and empowers you to walk in purity. (See Lesson 67)
John 15:5 I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.
* Ask God to search your heart.
Purifying yourself requires you to open your heart to God’s examination. Ask Him to show you if there are any hidden sins or attitudes that are offensive to Him. Then, ask Him to lead you in the way of everlasting life.
Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.
* Be holy, because He is holy.
Make it your daily goal to pursue holiness. You will not be perfect, but by aiming to be like Christ, you will move in the right direction.
1 Peter 1:15 But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do,
* Confess your sins.
Purifying yourself begins by being honest with God. When you recognize you have sinned, confess your sins to God immediately. This will align you with God and show that you agree with His commandments.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (See Lesson 18)
* Do not lift your soul to an idol.
Purity begins with an undivided devotion to God. If you have lifted anything above God, you have created an idol in your life. Confess this to God and remove the idol.
Psalm 24:3-4 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear deceitfully.
* The blood of Jesus cleanses you.
Purification requires the blood of Christ. When you walk in the light by abiding in Christ, you live under that cleansing. Make walking in the light a daily practice and allow His blood to remove sin and purify your heart.
1 John 1:7 Butif we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. (See Lesson 16)
* Walk in the Spirit.
You cannot achieve purity by willpower alone. True purity flows from a life in step with the Holy Spirit. Invite Him to empower you to live in obedience. Listen to His conviction, and respond quickly to His leading.
Galatians 5:16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
We are called to purify ourselves. This is an active, ongoing process, not a one-time event. As you anticipate the return of Jesus and the moment when you will see Him face to face and be transformed into His image, a deep desire will grow in your heart to be ready, motivating you to pursue purity.
Let’s review our key strategies to purify yourself.
* Abide in Christ — Stay connected to Him, because apart from Christ, you can do nothing.
* Ask God to search your heart — Let Him reveal hidden sin and guide you.
* Be holy, because He is holy — Aim daily to reflect Christ’s character.
* Confess your sins — Be honest with God and receive His cleansing.
* Do not lift your soul to an idol — Keep God first and remove anything that competes with Him.
* The blood of Jesus cleanses you — Walk in the light daily and live under His cleansing.
* Walk in the Spirit — Depend on Him to guide your desires and actions.
Be encouraged. God is not distant. He is actively involved in cleansing you. By faith, look to Him for strength and help. Let purifying yourself become a daily practice as you walk with Him.
Here is a prayer to help you respond to today’s lesson.
God, help me to abide in Christ throughout this day and purify my heart. Search me and reveal anything offensive to You. Teach me to reflect Your character, remove all idols from my life, cleanse me by the blood of Jesus, and guide me by Your Spirit in all I do. Amen.
Let’s read this part of the verse, one more time.
1 John 3:3 …purifies themselves...
If you’ve been blessed by Hope Bible School, please share it with others.
Listen to these lessons over and over again.
Meditate on God’s Word throughout the day. Pray continually. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
If you have any prayer requests, please share them in the comments.
Thank you and God bless you.
Jeff M Newman
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