The Pure Source

James 3:11-12 puts forth rhetorical questions:  "Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh."  God is holy, pure, and righteous, yet that does not mean all those who believe in Him will always reflect His perfect attributes.  Springs of water gush pure from their subterranean sources and grow increasingly muddy and fouled as they flow.  The point James was making is a spring is either salty or fresh, not both.  A fig tree cannot bear olives because by nature it is a fig tree.

In a similar way, the outward behaviour and speech of a person indicates their inner nature.  A person whose speech is salted with cursing ought not imagine themselves to be pure in heart.  From a biblical perspective, none are pure or perfect before God because of sin.  We are all corrupted and are also corruptors.  The selfish nature and tendencies of men are as base and depraved as they have ever been.  But even as a caterpillar through metamorphosis transforms into a moth or butterfly capable of flight, so God is able to transform men - not through the outer keeping of a Law, but through an inner change by being born again through faith in Christ.  For all those who have been born again, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit for our thoughts, words, and deeds to display in greater degree the purity and goodness of God who now lives in us.

During my recent trip to Tasmania, I had many silent walks along beautiful paths and streams.  There were plenty of opportunities to consider explanations given by our guides and zoologists.  "Evolution" was often credited for the unique "adaptations" seen among many native Australian animals.  What I find very interesting is Darwinian Evolution is not held in high regard by many of the great scientific minds of today.  His musings and theories seemed bizarre to people in his day and in many cases have been disproved without question.  But in the case of evolution, people have been fine to throw out the details and keep the basic structure, the concept that slowly over time natural processes led to slight, successive changes which explains the diversity of animal life we see today - without the need for a Creator.  Darwin's theory has led to countless other theories, and new discoveries prove without a doubt it is not a foundation worthy to build upon.

That is one thing I love about God:  He does not change.  He is an everlasting, worthy foundation who is more solid than the planet underfoot.  His truth endures for all time and before Him every knee will bow.  Water can be filthy and polluted, but God is always absolutely pure and righteous.  Men have their reasons to deny the truth, yet God has revealed Himself for all who have eyes to see and ears to hear.  The unchanging I AM is my God - yes, I worship a God - THE God, the Creator of heaven and earth.  He is the pure, inexhaustible source of true wisdom.  I love Him because He first loved me.  May His love be revealed through me for His glory with increasingly purity.