“Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates the body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” – 2 Corinthians 7:1

The city dump, the local landfill, the diaper pail…. What comes to your mind? Stinky. Dirty. Rotten. Contaminated (especially the diaper pail).

Have you ever thought about what contaminates the body and spirit? Drug abuse, alcoholism, expired food, chemical inhalants, chemical ingestion—all contaminate the body. Things that can contaminate the spirit may be the television programs we watch, the books or magazines we read, the songs we listen to, or the Internet sites we view.

Please understand, I don’t mean that every television program, magazine, song, or site on the Internet is contaminated. What I do want you to recognize is this: What we put in… is what comes out. Just as bad food sickens the body, bad media sicken the soul. Scripture commands us to “purify ourselves from everything that contaminates the body and spirit…,” (2 Corinthians 7:1).

How do you purify yourself? The first thing you must do is have a relationship with Christ. You must accept Him as your Lord and Savior. Then choose to grow in your relationship with God. Make time to study His Word regularly and pray. Finally, you must confess your sin and repent… turning away from temptations that would draw you further from God.

“… Perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” I believe that a heart of purity is born out of a total reverence for God and who He is. When we have a clear understanding of just how holy and righteous God is, the decontamination process becomes a lot easier. A woman with a pure heart is beautiful, rare, and extraordinary!