PURITY IN GOD'S HOUSE

PURITY IN GOD'S HOUSE

By Rev. Samuel Arimoro

Main Text: 1 Corinthians 5:7

Key Verse: "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened." — 1 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV)

Supporting Texts: 1 Peter 1:15-16; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 5:25-27; Psalm 24:3-4; 1 Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 12:14

Description: Purity in God's house requires believers to remove sinful influences, maintain holiness, and preserve the church as a dwelling place that honours the presence of God.

INTRODUCTION

The church is not merely a building where Christians gather; it is the household of God and the dwelling place of His presence. Because God is holy, His people are called to reflect His holiness in their personal lives, relationships, worship, leadership, and fellowship.

In 1 Corinthians 5:7, Paul commanded the believers to "purge out therefore the old leaven". The Corinthian church had allowed serious sin to remain among them, and Paul warned that tolerated corruption could spread throughout the congregation. The lesson is clear: God's house must not become a place where sin is deliberately accommodated.

Purity in God's house begins with individual believers. Every member contributes to the spiritual atmosphere of the church. When our hearts are surrendered to God and our lives are governed by His Word, the church becomes stronger, healthier, and more effective in its witness to the world.

1. REMEMBER THAT GOD'S HOUSE IS HOLY

The church belongs to God, and everything connected with His house must be treated with reverence and holiness.

a) The Church Is God's Temple (1 Corinthians 3:16)
Paul reminds believers that they are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells among them. This makes purity a serious spiritual responsibility.

b) God Dwells Among His People (2 Corinthians 6:16)
God desires to dwell among His people. His presence calls us to separate ourselves from practices that contradict His character.

c) Holiness Belongs To God's House (Psalm 93:5)
God's holiness is not optional for those who belong to Him. His house must reflect the nature of the God who inhabits it.

d) Treat God's Things With Reverence (Ecclesiastes 5:1-2)
Worship should never become careless or merely ceremonial. We must approach God with reverence, sincerity, and godly fear.

Biblical Example: When Israel brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, David recognised the need for proper reverence and orderly handling of what belonged to God (1 Chronicles 15:12-15).

2. REMOVE THE OLD LEAVEN

Paul's reference to leaven illustrates the need to remove sinful influences before they spread throughout the church.

a) Sin Can Spread (1 Corinthians 5:6)
A small amount of tolerated sin can influence individuals, relationships, and eventually the wider congregation.

b) Purge Out The Old Leaven (1 Corinthians 5:7)
Believers must deliberately remove sinful habits, attitudes, relationships, and practices that contradict their identity in Christ.

c) Reject Malice And Wickedness (1 Corinthians 5:8)
Purity involves more than avoiding sexual immorality. Malice, bitterness, dishonesty, hatred, and wickedness must also be removed.

d) Walk In Sincerity And Truth (1 Corinthians 5:8)
God desires a people whose worship and conduct are genuine. Truth must govern both our private lives and public ministry.

Biblical Example: Israel removed the idols and foreign gods from among them when Jacob commanded his household to put away their strange gods and purify themselves before going to Bethel (Genesis 35:1-4).

3. MAINTAIN PERSONAL PURITY

A pure church begins with pure individuals. We cannot expect corporate holiness while continually tolerating personal compromise.

a) Guard Your Heart (Proverbs 4:23)
The heart influences the direction of life. We must carefully guard what enters our minds, emotions, and desires.

b) Keep Your Body Pure (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
Our bodies belong to the Lord and are temples of the Holy Spirit. Sexual purity is therefore an essential part of Christian holiness.

c) Control Your Thoughts (Philippians 4:8)
Purity begins in the mind. We must deliberately fill our thoughts with things that are true, honest, pure, lovely, and praiseworthy.

d) Flee Temptation (2 Timothy 2:22)
Wisdom sometimes requires more than resisting temptation; it requires physically and deliberately moving away from situations that can lead to sin.

Biblical Example: Joseph maintained personal purity by refusing Potiphar's wife's advances and fleeing from the situation (Genesis 39:7-12).

4. PROTECT THE PURITY OF CHURCH FELLOWSHIP

The spiritual health of a congregation is influenced by the attitudes and conduct of its members. Purity therefore requires responsible relationships.

a) Walk In Love (Ephesians 4:2-3)
Purity is not merely separation from sinful behaviour; it also involves maintaining humility, patience, forgiveness, and unity.

b) Reject Gossip And Slander (Ephesians 4:29)
Words can contaminate relationships and destroy trust within the church. Believers must speak words that build others up.

c) Confront Destructive Sin (Matthew 18:15)
When serious wrongdoing occurs, believers should follow Christ's pattern of biblical correction rather than spreading the matter through gossip.

d) Pursue Peace And Holiness (Hebrews 12:14)
The church must intentionally pursue both holiness and peaceful relationships. Neither should be sacrificed for the other.

Biblical Example: The early church addressed the serious issue of hypocrisy involving Ananias and Sapphira, demonstrating the seriousness with which God viewed integrity within the fellowship (Acts 5:1-11).

5. PREPARE GOD'S HOUSE FOR HIS PRESENCE

Purity prepares the church to function effectively as God's dwelling place and witness in the world.

a) Become A Holy People (1 Peter 1:15-16)
God calls His people to holiness because His character is holy. The church should visibly reflect the nature of its Lord.

b) Shine Before The World (Matthew 5:14-16)
A pure church provides a credible witness to a world that needs to see the transforming power of Christ.

c) Preserve Sound Doctrine (1 Timothy 1:3-5)
Purity includes doctrinal faithfulness. The church must guard the truth and resist teachings that corrupt the Gospel.

d) Prepare For Christ's Presentation (Ephesians 5:25-27)
Christ desires a glorious church without spot or wrinkle, emphasising His purpose to sanctify and cleanse His people.

Biblical Example: Nehemiah led Israel in cleansing the temple from practices that had defiled God's house, restoring proper order and reverence (Nehemiah 13:4-9).

CONCLUSION

Purity in God's house is not merely the responsibility of pastors or church leaders; every believer has a part to play. The church becomes spiritually healthy when individuals remove the old leaven, guard their hearts, maintain holy relationships, speak truth, and honour God's presence.

Let us therefore refuse every form of compromise that can contaminate our personal lives or the fellowship of God's people. Christ has called His church to be holy, pure, and distinct from the world. May our churches become places where God's presence is honoured, His Word is obeyed, His people are strengthened, and His name is glorified.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Father, make Your church holy and pure, and let everything that dishonours Your name be removed from our midst, in Jesus name.

2. Lord, help me to purge every sinful habit, attitude, influence, and relationship that can contaminate my spiritual life, in Jesus name.

3. Father, cleanse my heart and make my thoughts, motives, desires, and intentions pure before You, in Jesus name.

4. Lord, give me grace to maintain sexual purity and honour You with my body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus name.

5. Father, deliver our churches from gossip, slander, bitterness, hypocrisy, division, and every form of destructive behaviour, in Jesus name.

6. Lord, give our leaders wisdom and courage to protect the purity, unity, doctrine, and spiritual health of Your church, in Jesus name.

7. Father, let Your Word continually cleanse, correct, sanctify, and transform every member of Your household, in Jesus name.

8. Lord, make our fellowship a place where Your presence is honoured and where sinners encounter genuine love, truth, repentance, and salvation, in Jesus name.

9. Father, let the purity of Your church become a powerful testimony that draws people towards Jesus Christ, in Jesus name.

10. Lord, prepare Your church as a holy people without spot or wrinkle, faithfully awaiting the return of Jesus Christ, in Jesus name.

PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS

1. Your life shall be purified continually by God's Word, and you shall increasingly reflect the holiness and character of Jesus Christ.

2. Every old leaven of sin, compromise, bitterness, hypocrisy, and wickedness working against your spiritual progress shall be removed from your life.

3. Your heart, thoughts, motives, desires, words, and actions shall increasingly come under the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit.

4. You shall receive grace to maintain purity in your relationships, conversations, conduct, and private life, even when surrounded by ungodly influences.

5. The Lord shall protect you from every relationship and influence that seeks to contaminate your faith, character, testimony, or devotion to Christ.

6. Your church shall experience a fresh commitment to holiness, truth, integrity, unity, sound doctrine, and reverence for God's presence.

7. Every hidden compromise threatening the spiritual health of your fellowship shall be exposed and dealt with according to God's wisdom and truth.

8. Your life shall shine as a testimony of God's transforming power, and people shall see Christ through your purity, love, conduct, and good works.

9. The presence of God shall be honoured in your life and congregation, and your fellowship shall become a place of spiritual growth, healing, salvation, and transformation.

10. You shall remain pure and faithful to the end, and your life shall be presented before Christ as a testimony of His sanctifying grace and transforming power.