Purifying Faith

Ephesians 3:17-19 says, “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

My Dear Comrades, You will remember that when I closed my last letter, I was speaking about a very important part of our subject—namely, that act of faith which purifies the heart. I said something then, but I must return to it, because it is here that many stumble and fail in seeking the blessing of purity.

They come right up to the door of full deliverance from sin. They look inside the temple of holiness. They long to enter. And yet, they hesitate to take the one step that would carry them in.

They do not exercise the faith that purifies. And so they turn back—returning to that unsatisfying life of sinning and repenting in which they have remained for so long.

I am convinced this often comes from misunderstanding. And so, I want to make this matter clearer—what that faith really is by which the soul enters into full salvation. I may repeat some things we have already considered. But that is better than leaving you uncertain. I would rather say it a hundred times and be understood.

Purifying faith begins with some clear understanding of the blessing itself. That understanding may not be perfect, but it must be enough to grasp what purity really means. It is not a passing feeling. It is not merely relief from temptation. It is not constant emotional excitement. It is a state of heart in which a person no longer grieves the Spirit of God, but loves Him fully and obeys Him sincerely. This kind of faith fixes its attention on the blessing and says, “I want a pure heart. I need it. It is God’s will for me. Christ purchased it for me. Lord, let it be mine.”

Has your faith reached that point? Do you truly see what purity is? If so, hold on to that understanding until the blessing becomes yours. When a person truly sees something valuable and possible, desire begins to grow. The more you think about it, the more you consider it, the more it draws you. So it is with holiness. If you believe it is as precious as it truly is, you will keep it before your mind, and your desire for it will deepen.

But purifying faith does not stop at desire. It goes further. It chooses. It does not merely admire or speak or wish. It says, “I will have it.” We see how people treat salvation itself—they acknowledge its value, yet delay seeking it. And in the same way, many treat holiness. They say, “I should be holy. I wish I were holy. Lord, make me holy—but not now.”

But real faith does not delay. It chooses, and it begins at once. This faith also gives up whatever stands in the way. When something is truly valued, people are willing to let go of lesser things to obtain it. So it is here. If you truly believe in the worth of purity, you will be ready to part with anything that hinders you. It will not argue. It will not hold back. It will surrender.

And this brings us to a point where many hesitate. They shrink from full surrender. They fear what God may require of them. They wonder where He may send them, or what He may ask them to do. And so they draw back—and go no further. But purifying faith sees Christ differently. It sees Him as altogether worthy. It sees His service as good. And so it lays everything down willingly, without condition, without reserve, ready to be used in any way He chooses. Such a surrender has no limits, except the limits of one’s ability. This faith also rests on what God has already done. It understands that holiness has been purchased by Christ and promised in His Word. It hears God say, “I will cleanse you,” and it responds, “Yes, Lord—I believe it shall be so.”

But it goes even further than that. It does not only believe that God is willing. It believes that God is doing it now. And so I ask you—when will this purity come to you? Will you say tomorrow? Perhaps—but who can be sure? Will you say at the hour of death? Perhaps—but who can promise that? Why not now? For now is the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation.