Removing the dross; what does that even mean? Probably not what you thought…. However, since it is a necessity for pure silver and gold to be obtained, we ought to learn about it.
“…I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold.”
Zechariah 13:9a
The old Brian Doerksen song, Refiner’s Fire, says it beautifully, “Purify my heart. Let me be as gold and precious silver.” To illustrate this further, even the gold in the temple was refined; God demanded purity even in the articles used to build His dwelling place on earth. The root word used in I Chronicles means to purify, strain, extract–how similar ought we treat our bodies as living temples; we are to live holy lives, honoring to the Lord. There are two steps to take note of, but I want to call attention to:
- purification from sin
- removal of dross
The metal smith…
Oftentimes, the Bible lays out for us that God will bring us into the fire in order to purify us. To clarify, it helps to understand the basics of how a metal smith works with metals.
In layman’s terms (my level of understanding this), a refiner heats the metal (fire), removes the dross (discards), and is left with a pure substance.
What is dross from the refiner's fire, that which is discarded and tossed aside? It is not a what, but a WHOM! It is the wicked people on the earth. Click To TweetGiven that, we see that the steps are even laid out in the description. God Himself brings us into the fire for our own benefit, our feet are put to the flames to purify us from sin. Yet, He ALSO intends for the removal of dross. What is dross from the refiner’s fire, that which is discarded and tossed aside?
It is not a what, but a WHOM!
Discarding the dross…
All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross.
Psalm 119:119
Important to realize, the only references to dross (that I could find) mentioned in the Bible were with reference to people. In particular, it is the wicked people on the earth. The Bible references over and over, the dross are the wicked He wants removed from among His people. Again, God wants us removing the dross from our lives IN ORDER that we may become purified and live holy.
Like a coating of dross over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart.
Proverbs 26:23
Specifically, the root word for fervent means burning, inflame, chase, kindle, persecute, pursue hotly. That is to say, this description does not align with a person living a holy life.
Identifying and removing the dross in your own life…
We need to know, who are the dross we are to remove? To clarify, Proverbs 26 in just the few short verses around 34 divulge more details, a:
- passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own
- man who deceives his neighbor and says “I was only joking!”
- quarrelsome man who kindles strife
- gossip whose words are like choice morsels (as pleasant as a wise man’s words, but they promote dissension)
- malicious man who disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit
- man with charming speech but seven abominations fill his heart
- person with malice concealed by deception
- person with a lying tongue who hates those it hurts
- man with a flattering mouth who works to ruin
Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes material for the silversmith; remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness.
Proverbs 25:4-5
While this may be true, remember to use Biblical discretion when attempting to set up boundaries with the individuals described above, be self-aware of your own sins and fully repent of them, be cautious you aren’t too quick to judge, be cautious not to just cut off everyone around you but to understand when long-suffering with fellow believers is warranted.
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I’m spending a lot of time right now thinking about discernment, and this seems to be one of those built in opportunities to practice it.
And the more aware we become of our own need for grace, the freer we can become in dispensing it.