Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22).
Those with pure hearts are not sinless saints; they are not holier-than-thous who have never done anything wrong. They are not the kind of people who look down their noses at everyone else who gets into trouble. No, the word pure would be better translated "cleansed," past tense--those with a cleansed heart, those who have already known what it is to be where you are. They do not put you down; they encourage you. They say, "I know how you feel. I've been there too, but God picked me up. I know what it means to lay hold of His great, forgiving love." So one of the necessities of being used of God is that you keep company with those who are aiming in the same direction.
--Ray Stedman
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