Episode Details

(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.

Listen Now