Everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. – 1 John 3:3
In 1881, Harley Proctor, the son of the co-founder of Procter & Gamble, and a soap salesman of legend, decided they needed an “angle” to sell their product, Ivory soap. He wanted to say it was pure, but his laboratories told him there were impurities in it, a total of 0.56% impurities. So Harley decided honesty was the best policy, and began to tout Ivory soap as “99 and 44/100ths percent pure.” The classic marketing slogan stuck.
In his first epistle, John speaks of being pure. Jesus is pure, he says, and His desire for you is to have the same perfection. However, in this world, there are impurities. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, believers seek to avoid sin in their lives, but it can have a way of seeping in—from impure thoughts to impure activities. When that happens, you confess, you repent, and you seek to be restored to the full will of God. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). When Jesus cleanses you, you are more than 99 and 44/100ths percent pure, you are cleansed from ALL unrighteousness. Your sins have been cast into the deepest part of the sea (Micah 7:19) and God has posted a sign, “No Fishing!”
The world is fainting and falling under the heavy weight of sin, in need of a thorough spiritual cleansing. Jesus promises that one day you will be like Him (1 John 3:2). A Savior is needed, and a Savior has come! As a beloved child of God, be ready always to share the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15). Pray for pastors and teachers who minister to those who serve in government to always point the way to Jesus and His cleansing power.
Today’s Verse: 1 John 3:3
And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: 1 John 3:1-10
3 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
