When I graduated from college, I ordered an eighteen-karat class ring. Yes, I wanted something a little nicer than my 12-karat high school ring. Do you know how many karats it takes to have pure gold? As believers we are to be pure as opposed to having the world in us. That means that we are to strive for righteousness, with out sin. Many times, I find myself mixing my thoughts and feelings in my attitude. That is like adding copper or another alloy to gold. The more we add, the less the karats.
Philippians 2:14-16 (NIV)
14 Do everything without complaining or arguing,
15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe
16 as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.