This week we have sought to understand what it means to purge ourselves of anything that blocks our relationship with God.  The main emphasis has been on the fact that we tend to focus on the surface of our sins rather than the true motivation behind our actions.  

We will never be able to truly be right with God and right with others until we do the hard job of serious introspection. Introspection is probably one of the most missing disciplines in many believer’s lives. Call it soul-searching, heart-searching, self-observation. This examination or observation of one’s own mental, emotional and spiritual processes can be extremely valuable.

 

One verse stands out to me that addresses this issue.

2 Timothy 2:20–21 (NIV84)

20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

Here is where our positional righteousness comes in direct conflict with our practical righteousness. In other words, through Jesus, God sees us as righteous. And now He expects us to express our righteousness by the way we live.  God has made us clean positionally, yet He expects us to express our righteousness by cleaning ourselves from anything that does not reflect who He now says we are.

We must purge ourselves. He will not do this for us. He will empower us to be able, but we must do it in His power. When we purge ourselves from

anything that blocks our relationship with God, we then are in a position to be useful to the Master work.