Purity, a Thing of the Past

Last night was the launch of Taylor Swift’s new and “improved” album, 1989. Girls everywhere are raving about the new pop icon’s greatest success and her amazing new style of music. I can’t help but notice that Taylor got her popularity by singing about broken relationships and whimsical love story songs. Don’t get me wrong. I love Taylor Swift and I used to truly respect and look up to this girl.

Taylor was my fashion icon for several years. She wore beautifully vintage feminine dresses and adorable, chic feminine clothes. I used to be able to relate to her on several issues in life and was ecstatic to find out that she wanted to be a stay at home mom and that she loves feeling like a “1950’s housewife”. Here is what she told an interviewer for Harpers Bazaar in 2012: “Being a mom full time, doing everything for my kids, having a bunch of them. One day. But that’s the only other thing that could be as thrilling for me as doing this.”

But I think materialism and the coldness of this modern age crept into Taylor’s beautiful vision and corroded it. As of late, Miss Swift has traded in her cute retro dresses and long hair for crop tops, miniskirts, bralettes with tight leather pants and short hair. She has told many magazines including Rolling Stones, People Magazine, Vanity Fair, and The Huffington Post that she has recently come to “embrace feminism and her independence”.

So, what am I getting at? All I know is that the girl who was once considered “America’s Sweetheart” is now a new pop goddess coming alongside Lady Gaga, Mily Cyrus, and Katy Perry. It’s sad to see that Taylor has thrown away her innocent girly personality for that of a modern, sexy, pop star.

The topic of this article is not about Taylor Swift but about the word purity. When someone reads or hears the word purity mentioned they cringe. It’s not a very popular topic these days and that shouldn’t come as a shock. Purity isn’t valued in schools, churches, governments, movies, music or among our peers; why should it be of any value to us?

Purity is a thing of the past. Or some would say.

I would like to challenge you to join me for just five minutes while we go deeper and explore the true meaning of purity and how it can and will benefit us and those around us. Many people think that purity means being pure sexually and still having your virginity coming into a marriage. While this belief is somewhat true, it isn’t the whole summation of the word.

According to the Webster Dictionary the word “Purity” means this:

1. Cleanness; freedom from foulness or dirt. Freedom from guilt or the defilement of sin; innocence; as purity of heart or life.
2. Chastity; freedom from contamination by illicit sexual connection. Purity of motives.
3. Freedom from improper words or phrases; as purity of style or language.

Purity is a lifestyle, not a virtue or fruit of the Spirit or moral. It is a way of life. Freedom sounds amazing and we think it’s a word that belongs in the history books or in political board meetings. But did you see how many times the word freedom was used in the dictionary’s definition for the word PURITY? Imagine not having the pressure to be the most popular girl around by dressing like the latest celebrity or model. Imagine being free from the culture’s demands to be on top of everything.

Living a life of purity brings us that freedom. Choosing God’s way of life and having the mind of Christ frees us from the 21st century’s mindset that enslaves us to it’s way of thinking. Can you remember not having a care in the world when you were a little kid? Jesus wants us to return to the freedom of thinking and living in that same mindset. Free from the ways of the world. Free from peer pressure.

There’s a popular song that I hear playing on the radio, in stores, around my friends that sing it and it bothers me a little. It’s called “Cool Kids” and here are the lyrics to the chorus:

“I wish that I could be like the cool kids,
‘Cause all the cool kids, they seem to fit in.
I wish that I could be like the cool kids, like the cool kids.
I wish that I could be like the cool kids,
‘Cause all the cool kids, they seem to get it.”

While we listen and sing these lyrics they are grinding into our brains a demented insecurity and knowledge that we aren’t the cool kids and we wish we were. This is such a terrible, belittling song.  It saddens me to know that there are so many people, including artists like the band that wrote the lyrics and like Taylor Swift that think and believe they have to be a certain way to get people to like them and appreciate them.

Purity is having God’s thinking and mindset for yourself and for others. It gives us an idea of what and who God says we are; NOT THE WORLD. Paul says in Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

Knowing what God says about you and who you are is more important than listening to the culture tell you what and who you are not. Search God’s Word and learn how He thinks of you.

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 1 John 3:2-3

I think this quote goes along perfectly with what I’m trying to say:

“As twenty-first century women, how can we “put to death” and “put away” impurity? How can we reflect Christ outwardly? We are called to wage our war for purity in a culture where biblical femininity is no longer valued. By today’s standards, an ideal woman is independent, financially successful, sexually alluring and open-minded, and heavily invested in her outward appearance. This ideal is foisted upon us in school, in the workplace, and in grocery store checkout lines, and it has crept into the church and into our homes.

By large, we aren’t encouraged to be biblically feminine. But since biblical femininity lies at the core of a woman’s purity, we must fight for it…”

And purity is worth fighting for! Let’s wage war with the cliché, American, modern culture that steals our joy and femininity and begin a generation of smart, intelligent, confident, pure, femininely  beautiful women who seek to put God above the standards of today. Purity is not a thing of the past. It can be for today. It can be for you, and it can be for me. I encourage you to search the Bible for verses that mention the word purity or pure. But remember: it’s a lifestyle, not just a word.

Thank you for reading this article. I hope it blesses you in some way. Let’s take it a little deeper and make it more personal. Ask yourself the following questions and feel free to leave your answers or thoughts in the comments below.

• Have you been sold the world’s viewpoint on the word purity?
• Have you felt enslaved to modern culture?
• How will you begin to live a life of purity?
• Will you accept who God tells you you are and make His love for you your new identity?

I would love to hear from you at any time. Have a wonderful day. God bless!

-Lisa Hallahan