Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure.
even as he is pure: Jesus is the perfect example of purity, even as He is our pattern in every other aspect of the Christian life. Jesus is pure, inherently pure. There is not a single trace of sin or impurity in Him. The word "is" does not refer just to His present posture of purity. Jesus was, is, and always will be the personification of purity. First, He is pure because that is the nature of deity; secondly, He is pure because He kept Himself pure during His human existence. For this last reason, He is a perfect and complete model for us to emulate. He not only tells us to be pure, but He shows us how to be pure.