Sunday – Purity is commanded for the family of God
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” Jas. 4:8
Buckle up. This is going to be a tough subject. Scripture has over 150 references to purity and its derivatives. Some apply to inanimate objects such as pure gold (50 verses alone), but most apply to us. Did you ever wonder why, when purity is so hard to attain and maintain, does God demand it of us? There are many reasons, but a couple stand out.
First, God is pure, pure love, pure mercy, pure truth, pure righteousness, and many more. Second, because He is pure, He cannot tolerate sin in any form including impure thoughts and deeds. Third, and this is for us, in His wisdom and knowledge, He knows purity is for our own good. I won’t go too far down a rabbit trail, but permit just one example: Ezekiel 23 is a perfect example of some of the things God hates and will judge. Listen to just the last verse (49) of Chapter 23: “Your lewdness will be requited upon you, and you will bear the penalty of worshipping your idols; thus you will know that I am the Lord God.”
Regardless of what our “progressive” society accepts, God’s standard hasn’t and never will change (more on that Saturday). Read about the flood (Genesis 6-8) in which God destroyed the entire world except for 8 people. Read about Sodom and Gomorrah’s destruction (Gen.13:12, Gen. 18:20, Gen.19:4, 5, 24, 25). And one more especially applicable today: (Rom. 1:18-27)
Men…
…suppress the truth
…are without excuse
…knew God – did not honor Him
…abandoned natural function of the woman
…burned with desire…another man
…receiving due penalty of their error
“God is not mocked, whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.”[1]
Men, we can’t continue to say we know God and not change our behavior. How do you think the front office of the Denver Broncos would act if, while Peyton Manning was the starting quarterback, he wore an Oakland Raiders sweatshirt to the golf course? You’re right, not well. Isn’t God a little more deserving of our commitment, our loyalty? I warned you this week would be tough. Stay tuned…
Father, Your Word is very clear, but so often I either don’t believe you mean it, or You’re not watching, or I can get by just this once. Open my eyes Lord to Your righteousness and hatred of sin, mine included, and prick my heart to not only desire purity but to live it out. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
[1] Gal. 6:7
Monday – Purity starts in the mind and influences our choices
“…like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation…” I Pet. 2:2
React or choose? How often do we find ourselves in the first category? Reactions are good—even necessary—when we are faced with danger. But seriously, how often does that happen? Someone cuts you off in traffic. Your response is a good indicator of which camp you’re in. Yesterday, we touched on changing our behavior.
ALL behavior starts with a thought; it may be subconscious, but it still starts in our mind. In the week on Excellence, we discussed the progression from thought to action to habit to way of life to destiny. So, to change our actions, we must first change our thinking. In Romans 12:2, Paul tells us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” The best way to do that comes from today’s verse (“long for the pure milk of the Word”). Psalm 119:11 reinforces that: “Your Word I have treasured in my heart that I may not sin against You.”
How are we doing on our time in the Word, reading, memorizing, meditating? You know the definition of insanity: doing the same thing and expecting different results. Think about this: Our loving Father has given us the exact blueprint for life, peace, our future—everything we need to survive in a sin-cursed world. Could it be we have bought into God’s love and know nothing of His holiness and intolerance of sin? Or have we let the cares and trials of the world suppress our love of and commitment to God’s Word?
We stand at the threshold of eternity—closer than ever before. How can we expect to hear “well done” if we can’t get our mind and what we feed it under control? It’s not too late to form a new habit (thought, then repeated action) that includes more time in God’s Word. We will not change (our actions) until we change our thinking. Proverbs reminds us, “It is by his deeds (not words) that a lad distinguishes himself, if his conduct is pure and right.”[1]
As we ponder today’s words, remember, tomorrow isn’t guaranteed to anybody.
Lord God, Forgive me for letting my agenda squeeze time I spend with You in Your Word. Rekindle in me a love for You and Your Word that I will have a greater repository of Your truth to draw on in my daily battles with the world and the enemy. In Christ’s name, Amen.
[1] Prov. 20:11 emphasis mine
Tuesday – Purity honors and pleases God
“He who loves purity of heart, the king is his friend.” Prov. 22:11
Can you even get your head around having a king, let alone the king as your friend? How about this? Knowing our own sinful thoughts and actions, God still sees us as new creations and blesses us with every spiritual blessing.[1] How is that possible in light of our sin? That’s the good news of grace and mercy showered on those who trust Christ for forgiveness and salvation. As astounding as it sounds, Isaiah says, “But the Lord was pleased to crush him (Christ)…”[2] and “…taste death for everyone…”[3] “bringing many sons to glory.”[4]
When we think deeply about what God did for us in Christ, how can we respond any other way than to offer God a pure heart, cleansed from sin—a gift we did nothing to earn—as an expression of our gratitude?
With that as background, how do we acquire purity of heart? The good news is that positionally, if we know Jesus personally, we are already there (new creations), but practically, we’re somewhere on the path (sanctification) that we’ll be on until God calls us home. I believe it begins by recognizing how badly we miss the goal (sin) and often shun correction or reproof[5] especially if it comes from our wives.
Pride erects a defensive shield around us and blinds us to our sin. So, the first step is to recognize that though we are saved, we still sin…sometimes badly and sometimes repeatedly. Next, remember that Jesus died for ALL our sins—past, present, and future—and “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”[6] (See blog: Good News Monday)
Now, it’s rubber hits the road time. What habits do you want to change to free up more time with “Dad”? They’ll be easier to identify if you ask yourself, “Does what I’m doing bring honor and pleasure to God or just me?” I’m not asking you to give up sports-watching or video gaming, or (fill in the blank), just to practice moderation. Paul set a great example when he told the Corinthians, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.”[7]
Father, I’d like to be Your friend, but I don’t feel worthy because of my sin. Drill into me the breadth of Jesus’ sacrifice—for me—and give me strength to change my habits to honor You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
[1] II Cor. 5:17; Eph. 1:3
[2] Isa. 53:10
[3] Heb. 2:9
[4] Heb. 2:10
[5]II Tim. 3:16
[6] Rom. 8:1
[7] I Cor. 6:12
Wednesday – Purity has no guilt or regrets
“I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?” Job 31:1
Mockers gonna mock, scoffers gonna scoff, haters gonna hate. How’s that for a motivational thought for the day? When most people think of purity, they think of female virginity. In the western world’s perspective, this concept has lost much of its appeal and there’s always been a double standard. Girls who lost their virginity before marriage were thought loose or promiscuous and to be shunned by society. Boys, on the other hand were given a badge of honor by their peers. Even though the idea of virginity (for men and women) seems outdated by society, hear what God says, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.”[1]
For those of you old enough to remember the Ivory Soap tag line: “99 44/100% pure”, I have a question. Pure what and what made up the other 56/100%? So, even secular advertisers give lip-service to the value of purity. Do a Google search on pure water. You’ll find pure spring water, pure distilled water, pure spring bottled water, pure spring organic water. Question: What is organic water?
When I was in high school, a girl who got pregnant was treated like she had leprosy. Today, girls bring their babies to school. “Once a taboo subject, teen parenthood has not only become more accepted among high-schoolers — in some cases, it’s become a status symbol.”[2] Most girls and some guys have severe guilt and/or regrets or both. Violating sexual purity usually has lifelong consequences. The Bible speaks very clearly about pre- or extra-marital sex. Don’t. “How can a young man [or woman] keep his [her] way pure? By keeping it according to Your Word.”[3]
With so many (worldly/evil) forces pulling us along with the crowd, it’s harder to make a public stand for Biblical purity. Pornography is thought by many to “not hurt anybody.” “Currently, the porn industry makes more money than Major League Baseball, the NBA, and the NFL combined, and what do we get for that money? A litany of well-documented problems, including failed relationships, addiction, depression, isolation, impotence, and an STD epidemic.”[4] As with ALL societal issues, God’s Word is the final answer. “But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.”[5]
Lord, Lead me not into temptation, in Jesus’ name. Amen
[1] I Tim. 4:12
[2] www.businessinsider.com 4/25/19
[3] Ps. 119:9
[4] January 2012 article on catholicexchange.com
[5] Gal. 5:16
Thursday – Purity means not walking in the gray area
“…for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light.” Eph.5:8
What is the main property of light? It dispels darkness, the brighter the light, the less darkness. Shadows appear when something blocks the light. If we are to walk as children of light, and if God’s Word is black and white, what color are shadows? Do you know what lurks in shadows? Spiders…and bad people—all sorts of evil. If the Christian life were simply black or white (it is, we just don’t like “restrictions”) we’d have no problem turning from evil. If Satan labeled the path to hell, “hell”, nobody in their right mind would walk there. But he doesn’t; he labels it Heaven (remember, who’s the father of lies[1]). When my kids were little and a “gray” area about something they wanted to do came up, they would ask, “What’s wrong with it?” My response was, “What’s right with it?” We have been lied to so long by the world and its influences that we don’t realize we’re going along because it feels OK.
What harm is there in fibs or “white” lies? I ask the same question I asked my kids, “What’s right with them?” When truth is the standard, anything that isn’t, means we’re not walking in the light and therefore is sin. Our reaction to this line of thinking either affirms or condemns us. If we were to take a moment of introspection and identify all the gray areas of life that we openly or tacitly approve, and compare it to God’s standard: “come out from their midst and be separate,”[2] it would be a real eye-opener and should drive us to our knees in humble repentance. Paul also told the Corinthians, “Do not be deceived, bad company corrupts good morals.”[3]
I guess we should ask ourselves at this point if we’re happy just getting our ticket to Heaven punched or do we want to please God and show our gratitude by our lives. Everybody knows Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd…” but Psalm 24 addresses today’s topic, “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.”[4]
Father, I’ve been so complacent for so long, it’s hard to even recognize the areas where I fall short of Your holy standard. You call it sin. Forgive me for presuming on Your grace and open my eyes to stay on Your path regardless of the allure of shiny things around me. In Jesus’ name. Amen
[1] John 8:44
[2] II Cor. 6:17
[3] I Cor. 15:33
[4] Psalm 24:3-5 emphasis mine
Friday – Purity is attacked by the evil world system
“You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James 4:4
Satan hates Jesus Christ. You say duh. But think of the implications if you are a friend of God (like Abraham[1]). Jesus said, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you.”[2] If we are walking in the light (see yesterday’s thoughts) in fellowship with Jesus and it shows in our lives, we have a target on our backs for Satan’s attacks. Righteous living does not keep us from trials (see Job chap. 1). In fact, we are to expect them.[3] Trying to keep a low profile doesn’t help either. Satan already knew about Job when God brought him up in the conversation.[4] With today’s communications devices, we are an open book. That’s why it’s so important for us to rightly represent the truth,[5] so our actions support our words. Paul talks about his discipline in making his body his slave so that after preaching to others, he wouldn’t be disqualified.[6]
James has harsh language for us today. This is another “frog in the pot”[7] example. In Bible times, stoning was the punishment for adultery (for both parties).[8] Today, it’s barely a blip on our radar. But compare what God’s Word says, “Flee immorality…your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit…you are not your own…therefore glorify God in your body.”[9]
I can’t overemphasize the value of purity to God. His Word is pure.[10] His Wisdom is pure.[11] The streets of Heaven are pure…gold.[12] We will be clothed in white garments.[13] Men, we’re soldiers in God’s army. What’s the purpose of an army? To fight. We have all the armor we need.[14] The end game is in sight. All we need is to stay in the battle and not desert when times get tough. Jesus warned us of this, “…in the world you have tribulation…but take courage, I have overcome the world.”[15]
Lord, it’s so easy to become discouraged fighting against evil. Keep me mindful that I’m on the winning side and not to be discouraged. Amen
[1] James 2:23
[2] John 15:18
[3] I Pet. 4:12
[4] Job 1:9-11
[5] II Tim. 2:15
[6] I Cor. 9:27
[7] Week 32 (Openness/Transparency)-Friday
[8] Lev. 20:10
[9] I Cor. 6:18-20
[10] Psalm 12:6
[11] James 3:17
[12] Rev. 21:21
[13] Rev. 3:5
[14] Eph. 6:10-17
[15] John 16:33
Saturday – Purity is THE goal THE standard
“Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” Matt. 5:8
Ever think about the purity of things that come out of the ground? The purer the better. How about diamonds and the cut, color, carat, and clarity? Or gold; 24K gold is more expensive because it’s purer—not mixed with other metals. Then there’s oil—sweet crude is highly desirable because of its low sulphur content. But how about the purity of the One who came out of the ground—the Lord Jesus Christ—on Resurrection Day? He lived the perfect standard of holiness and set the example we are to strive for.
What is it about standards that we cringe from? Is it because we know we can’t keep them and “good enough” becomes our standard? In week 31-Thursday (Obedience), we talked about standards of obedience. Today, purity is our focus. Why do standards change? One reason could be that, through knowledge or experience, we have something better to aim for. And that could be good. Another could be society changes and things are now acceptable that weren’t yesterday. The problem with that thinking is as society adopts a new normal, it’s always worse than previous normal. Consider the slippery slope of the abortion movement. It’s now legal in some states to kill babies after they’re born. God will judge this sin.
It’s comforting to know that there is one standard that never changes—God’s. No matter what society thinks or does with “normal,” God will have the final word. Listen to the finality of Psalm 2: “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed…He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them.”[1]
This week we’ve talked about God’s command for purity in his family and how purity applies to our thinking as well as our actions. We also saw that it pleases and honors God and leaves no guilt or regrets in our lives. We were reminded that God’s Word is black and white, and we are not to walk in the gray areas. Lastly, we saw how wanting to live pure lives makes us a target for evildoers. I told you Sunday this would be a tough week. But if you’re still with me, then praise God for your desire to walk in holiness and purity. The fight is still raging all around us. May I encourage you in the Lord to hang tough? Get one or more guys you trust to meet for mutual building up of each other. Most importantly, remember God’s promise in today’s verse…we will see God.
Lord God, this study has convicted me of just how far I have compromised my walk with you. Forgive me for missing the mark so badly in the area of purity. Strengthen my commitment to walk in the light of Your Word, to view women as fellow heirs of Your grace, and to set a better example for my family of purity. May I grow in my relationship to You and have a boldness to talk openly of forgiveness in Christ with anybody who will listen. In His name, Amen.
[1] Psalm 2:2, 4