"Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand."
James 5:8

We must prepare ourselves for our Christ. It is not the Christian duty to simply wander through life; it is not our place to merely avoid things we would deem as unclean. James had already said to "cleans your hands, you sinner", and this is true no doubt. We should cleanse ourselves of all unrighteousness and evil that so easily infiltrates our lives as we walk through such muck in this world. But he also said "whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, to him it is sin." Well we now know one of the things that is right to do--establish our hearts.

But what does this look like? Paul speaks of our hearts being established in 1 Thessalonians 3:13, also speaking of doing so in regards to the return of Christ. The establishment of the heart is seen when Christ is no longer a question, no longer an idea, no longer an idealistic ascent, and no longer a form of escapism, whether in this life or the next. When our heart is established, there is no other option than Christ; there is no other lasting joy than Christ; there is no other Savior; no other infinite Beauty; there is no other, for our hearts have an establishment of Christ.

This establishment, according to Paul, comes about by the "Lord mak[ing] you increase and abound in love, for one another and for all." This love is what allows us to fulfill the greatest two commandments, loving our God with everything in us, and our neighbor as if they were none other than ourselves. This is the heart of sanctification, the only means to that end.

So, "may the Lord make you increase and abound in love, for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that HE may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints."