1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1 John 3:1-3 (NASB)
In ancient Greek ἁγνός or hagnos, which is translated as “pure” in v3 in the NASB (above), originally carried a religious meaning that spoke of ritual cleanness, chastity, and even virginity. The same basic concept was also true in the Septuagint. However, in the New Testament, the idea of ritual purity was no longer the point, and rightly so. …