Book Review: Purity

Purity: A Godly Woman's Adornment. Lydia Brownback. 2010. May 2010. Crossway Publishers. 136 pages.

We don't hear the word purity much today except in descriptions of cleaning agents and snow-covered landscapes. We do hear the word spoken more frequently in the Christian community, but usually only as it applies to sexual purity. We have lost sight of all it means to be pure as God intended. So what does it mean? Purity is much more than moral behavior. Purity is first and foremost a matter of the heart. To be pure is to be single-minded. It is to have a single goal, a single focus, and a single purpose for ourselves and our lives. That is biblical purity, and from it springs moral behavior--the good we do with our bodies. At its core, purity is having a heart for the Lord that isn't watered down or polluted by lesser things.

I enjoyed reading Purity by Lydia Brownback. I found it insightful and thought provoking. I found the first section--A Pure Heart--especially helpful. (The second section--The Fruit of a Pure Heart--is good too. I'm not saying it's of lesser value. But for me, the first section meant more.) Here are the chapter titles for the first section:

• A Pure Woman is Clear-Sighted
• A Pure Woman Has One Desire
• A Pure Woman is Single-Minded
• A Pure Woman Is Perceptive
• A Pure Woman Treasures God's Word
• A Pure Woman Abides in Christ
• A Pure Woman Loves the Lord
• A Pure Woman is Discerning
• A Pure Woman Esteems Christ
• A Pure Woman Hopes
• A Pure Woman Chooses the Narrow Way
• A Pure Woman is Wholehearted
• A Pure Woman Is a Cross-Carrier

Here are some of the gems I found:

"Putting Christ first is the essence of purity." (10)

"God wants us to know what it's like to desire nothing but him. That's why he allows us to find such little lasting satisfaction with the world's toys and joys." (13)

"If we find God and his Word confusing or frustrating, it's because something in our heart is resistant to him and his truth." (21)

"We will never love God purely--wholeheartedly--apart from immersing ourselves in God's Word because it is only in Scripture that we learn what God is like. To know him is to love him, and we always desire more of what we love most." (23)

"Do you find that you cannot live without a relationship with God? To the degree that you do, you will serve him. We all serve whatever it is we think we cannot live without." (41)

What I liked best about Purity was how straight-forward it was, how relevant, how accessible. I found the chapters to be short but thought-provoking. Many ask the reader to question, to evaluate themselves. I found the read pleasantly challenging.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible