I John 3:3 “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”
To have this blessed “hope in” us is to have been “born again” (John 3:1-8) by the Holy Spirit and to have learned that “now are we the sons of God” and to “know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (I John 3:2). This purifying is in a practical sense; for, our Lord Jesus Christ purified all His Elect Children for Heaven when He Sacrificed Himself on the Cross to fully and finally pay the sin-debt for everyone that His Father had given Him and chosen in Him before the foundation of the world (John 6:39; Ephesians 1:4). Much like the purifying under the Old Testament Law Service, this purifying is the obedient things we do to “be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2). The tense of the word “purifieth” is in the perpetual-present tense; that is, at any given time that we might look upon someone “that hath this hope in” them, they are striving with all diligence to purify themselves before God; that is, they are showing their love for our Lord by laboring to keeping his Commandments (John 14:15). As for purity, there is no better example to follow than that of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. When our Lord declared, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24); in part, this “cross” includes denying ourselves carnal pleasures to obediently “follow” our Lord. Thus, the believing Children of God strive with all diligence to shun the devil’s evil enticements and humbly and lovingly “follow” our Lord in faithful service to Him. These faithful believers know that they are sinners, saved to Eternal Heaven by our Blessed Lord’s Mercy and Grace; and, knowing this they are lovingly constrained (II Corinthians 5:14) to wake each day and joyfully cry, “What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?” (Psalms 116:12) and to “be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (I Peter 1:15-16). But, when we fail, this blessed “love” and precious knowledge, compels us to cry “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13) and then our kind and merciful Lord tenderly hears our cry and lovingly tells us to “go, and sin no more” (John 8:11)!