Passion For Purity

Introduction

I want to review briefly something that I mentioned at the end of last Sunday night’s sermon that, while simple, I think is extremely important. And it had to do with our approach to God’s Word, with our approach to the Proverbs, and I made three points. And those three points were that we have to believe that God’s instruction is right, that it is best, that he will see me through and reward for my obedience, and my allegiance is sensible, ennobling, and exalting. Really, the question is am I buying in to that? Do I buy in that God’s instruction in everything is right and best? That if I will comply, if I will submit, that he will see me through and reward me, and that it really is enhancing my life to obey God and submit to him.

I want to suggest to you that because we bought in the past does not mean we’re buying in now. And a lot of folks who sit in pews like this struggle to buy in.

They do so because they quit buying in to these three things. Almost imperceptibly to them, I want to approach a sensitive subject as I talk about buying in specifically with God’s commandments regarding purity because we live in decadent times. Immorality is all around us. Are we going to and I think this is supposed to be something off the tide symbol here. So the idea of cleanliness and purity is probably, that’s where that’s going with that picture. But I want to look at some passages very briefly. We’re not going to spend much time in each of these texts, but I want you to write them down if you need to come back to them later, because I want you to consider seriously what’s being said in these verses.

We’re going to go through these quickly. Colossians 3, and I’m going to paraphrase some of it. In Colossians 3, Paul is challenging his people in Colossi to set their affections on things above and not on things of this earth. And he says that we do that because Christ is our life in verse 4. And when he is revealed, we will be revealed with him in glory. And so as a result of this, as he admonishes us to set our affections on things above where Christ is, he says, consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality. Now are we buying in to that? Dead to immorality. It means it holds no place for us. We consider it not accessible in our lives. Dead to immorality.

Impurity, passion. And he says, really, these are synonymous terms in many ways, but he’s stating it so that we get it. Immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come. Now that’s serious. The wrath of God is going to come upon those who practice these things. We need to distance ourselves from them. Now, he does realize that in them we once walked. Before our obedience to Christ, perhaps we lived in these things. He understands that. But he is telling us now to consider ourselves dead to these things. Young people.

These are particularly pitfalls of young people, but not exclusively those under the age of 30. But the young man Timothy is told to let no one look down on your youthfulness. 1 Timothy 4 verse 12, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. Show yourself an example of those who believe. We must remind ourselves daily of our calling. Jesus calls us to purity and warns us sternly, as we saw in Colossians chapter 3. And so I found this little graphic, how appropriate for back to school. And it fit this subject of purity because in Matthew chapter 5, in the Sermon on the Mount, yes, this is your test before you’re going back to school to take all of those tests. This is the purity test.

You have heard that it was said you shall not commit adultery, but I say to you that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. And what he’s saying there is that it’s tantamount to committing the act. It is a sin, nonetheless, even though there has been no actual physical touching. It is still serious in terms of the blight against our souls when we do this. And so he says, if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out. And again, this is hyperbole attended for exaggeration and for effect here. He’s not saying literally tear your eye out. But you may need to make some extreme changes. There may need to be an extreme response to prevent impurity.

It is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish. It’d be better to go without an eye than for your soul and body. For your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you, for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish than for your whole body to go into hell. Jesus is serious about this. But this is serious stuff here. One more text, 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. You may have seen this graphic before. As he talks about how we ought to walk to please God, and that you may excel still more in that walk, he reminds us that this is the will of God, your sanctification.

That is, that you’ve been set apart for a holy purpose to God. That’s the will of God. And that means that you abstain from sexual immorality. That each one of you know how, and may I suggest that involves know how it involves some work. That you have to pursue this. You have to want this. Know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor. Not in lustful passion. I mean, how much do we don’t need commentaries here? This is simple. Not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God. Now, if we’re going to pursue lustful passion, we don’t know God. And so he concludes in verse 7 God has called us for the purpose of, he is not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.

Now, that’s the text I want to draw your attention to before we get into the main part of this tonight. I don’t mean to add insult to the injury that you’ve experienced in your past. Paul says, This is how you once lived. You once lived in these things. But he implies in that we’re no longer living in those things. And people do stumble and fall short. Certainly, David is an example of that in the Old Testament. And as he makes his appeal to wash me in Psalm 51, and we could look at the whole Psalm, but we’ve done that several times in the past. In Psalm 51 and verse 7, purify me with hyssop and I shall be clean. Watch me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

I’m not here to increase your guilt over mistakes in your past. Especially if those have been forgiven and cleansed by the Lord. I’m here to warn and prevent about mistakes in the future that could destroy you spiritually. There is a clean slate that is to be had in coming to the Lord penitently as David did. Whether it’s our initial obedience or if it’s our recovery after a tragedy in this regard. But I want to talk to you tonight about a passion for purity. How can we have more victories and fewer defeats? What are the keys to developing a heart that is free from lust? Young people, I think this is particularly helpful to you in a time when young people are involved in more sensuality than ever before.

And things happen in hallways, in bathrooms, and schools that did not happen in my time. At least if they did, I didn’t know about it. But I know what happens in our times and what young people are exposed to. And how hard it is to go against the grain of culture and to be different and to be pure and know how to possess your body. But it’s not just a problem for those who are in school. It’s becoming an increasing problem among adults. People that you work with, people in the body of Christ. People that we love very dearly in the body of Christ. And I’m not so naive as to think it’s not a problem for anyone here tonight. And so as I talk to you about this very sensitive subject and we talk about purity, I really want to talk about two things.

1. The Sensual Trappings Themselves

Number one, I want to talk about the sensual trapping, the sensual trappings themselves that occur. I read an article that is the impetus for this sermon. Actually, it’s been many months ago. I was, I get caught up on my reading of biblical insights when I’m on an airplane. And so I was on an airplane headed somewhere. I don’t know how they all blend together after a while. I was headed somewhere last year, sitting on the airplane, reading my biblical insights, and I read this article by Bill Walton called The Affair. Now, it’s not the basketball player, guys. Not the Bill Walton, who’s seven foot two and red hair is now the NBA analyst. Not that Bill Walton. Bill Walton, the preacher, Chattanooga, Tennessee. But this was an excellent article, and I’ve been holding on to it to get to a time where I thought this would be a needed subject to address, and here we are.

So in the first part of this, I want to refer to several things that he said because I think it was very helpful. Fornication, adultery, hooking up, whatever you want to call it, has become commonplace in our society. Normal. Normal people do it. And that’s part of the fact that homosexuality is being thrown at us as a normal behavior in our time. The pornography industry is booming. But the Bible categorizes these acts as sinful. This conduct is sinful. God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap. He that sows to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. I mean, that God is not mocked. We’re not going to be able to cast that aside on the day of judgment and say, well, I wasn’t aware of that.

I think we’re all well aware of what the New Testament teaches about purity in regard to sexuality. God is not mocked. This is the way it is going to be.

Okay. I’ll grant you that. You’re not dead. Yes, it’s appealing. Yes, they’re beautiful or handsome to you. We’re not dead. But there are restrictions, there are parameters. It reminds me of a Samson in Judges 14, where he comes to his parents, and he says, she looks good to me. Get her for me. I mean, that’s sort of the mentality of our time. She looks good to me. Get her for me. He looks good to me. Get him for me. And the connection is made. There’s this attraction. There’s an excitement to this. After all, you don’t know all their faults and foibbles and the things about them that would drive you crazy. All you know is the things about your present mate that drives you crazy. It’s also new and exciting and fresh, and they’re so cute, and he’s so handsome.

And one thing leads to another. Endorphins are released. Oh, that’s that sensational feeling. But to what end? But to what end? And that’s what God is saying through Jeremiah the prophet in Jeremiah chapter 5. He says, Your sons have forsaken me and sworn by those who are not gods, when I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery and truth to the harlot’s house. I mean, God doesn’t put this in pretty terms. They were well fed lusty horses, each one maying after his neighbor’s wife. Shall I not punish these people, declares the Lord? And on a nation such as this, shall I not avenge myself? They have lied about the Lord and said, not he or he is not, or he will do nothing, the ESV says.

Misfortune will not come upon us, and we will not see sword or famine. And the very point of this message is, oh, yes, he will. He will avenge, he has seen.

And he will judge. Specifically addressing adultery, Walton warned. And those who involve themselves in it show a terrible disregard for all that is holy and right. And I think that’s the thing that leaped out at me the most. Those involved in it show a terrible disregard for all that’s holy and right, a failure to give heed or attention to or to treat with the proper respect. And he mentions this in five areas. What we need to understand about the sensual trappings that present themselves to us on a very frequent basis. To succumb to these evidence a disregard for God himself. He says this one who does not regard God has no stronger binding power for his life than his own desires and ambitions. When his marriage and his desires are in conflict, he will put his desires first.

There is a disregard for God Himself. There is a disregard for the sanctity of marriage. The marriage bed is honorable, but fornicators and adulterers, God will judge, Hebrews 13 and verse 4. There is a disregard for self.

One who does this sins against his own body, the one who joins himself to a harlot, it says in 1 Corinthians chapter 6. But we should be joined instead to the Lord. The one who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him, 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 17. And he goes on to say, you were bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. You are a temple of the living God. You are not your own. See, the one who does not have regard for God will only have regard for his lusts and his desires, his ambitions. But Paul tells us you are not your own. You sin against your own body. Not to mention, you sin against your spouse.

Because when you promised, when you said, I do, you surrendered authority over yourself. According to 1 Corinthians 7 and verse 40, that the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does, and the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. So you disregard your spouse. And you disregard your children if you have them. The home is jeopardized. I want to take you quickly to Proverbs chapter 6. Proverbs chapter 6 and the warnings again of the wise writer when he says in verse 26.

For on account of a harlot, one is reduced to a loaf of bread, and an adulteress hunts for the precious life. Can a man take fire in his bosom and in his clothes and his clothes not be burned? Or can a man walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? So is the one who goes into his neighbor’s wife, whoever touches her will not go unpunished. Verse 32 the one who commits adultery with a woman is lacking sense. He would, he who would destroy himself doesn’t. Wounds and disgrace he will find, and his reproach will not be blotted out. It’s not just the spiritual things involved. As we violate God’s will in this regard, it’s not just the disregard that we have shown. It will become a shame to us.

It will become a disgrace to us. Yes, there’s forgiveness. I mentioned that earlier.

As a result of these failures. A stigma that we’ll have to live with. Our culture just doesn’t get it. I read an article this week about the breakup of Elon Nortigren and Chris Klein. Not her breakup with Tiger Woods. That’s of course, that’s what first piqued my attention was that this was Tiger Woods’ ex. But she has been dating her neighbor. She’s 34, he’s 54. And somebody said, well, what’s the attraction there? This guy’s a billionaire. And he’s their next door neighbor. They’ve dated for about a year. I even read where they went on double dates with Tiger. That’s crazy. But so the relationship breaks up. And the author said this. As to the question is raised, why had they drifted apart? Why be tied down to one woman when you can afford a new one every day?

That’s what the writer wrote. He’s a billionaire. He can afford a new one every day. And you know there is some truth to that if you’re a billionaire. But he’s 54. What is that going to mean when you’re 84? Or when you’re facing your mortality, that you are able to afford a new woman every day. You see, folks aren’t getting it. The fact is, though we have a natural affinity for intimacy and pleasure, God has something more planned for us. And that’s what we have to latch on to. But we are often not patient enough. And I get it because this life is all we’ve ever known. It’s all we’ve ever experienced. We see beautiful things and we want them if we can have them. I get that.

And it’s hard to tell people to wait. It is especially hard to tell people to refrain and to wait if they’re not really sure about whether they’re going to make it to heaven in the end anyway. So I think we need to do some work on that. But especially when you’re not sure about that reward being there in the first place. Well, you know, go for the gusto now. We have to develop patience and trust. Again, let’s go back to the beginning. Are you buying in? And perhaps another problem is that we have too much time on our hands to consider other possibilities. He has given us the opportunity, and that’s what it is, he has given us the opportunity for temporary fulfillment in the marriage relationship.

2. Solutions: Trust and Delight Yourself in the Lord

He did not intend for the marriage relationship to be a prison. But to help us to fulfill these desires in a limited, temporary way with his intention of fulfilling our desires ultimately in his presence, which leads me to my favorite verse in all the Bible. I haven’t mentioned it in a while. Psalm 16 and verse 11. Thou wilt make known to me the paths of life, and your presence is fullness of joy. And at your right hand are pleasures forever. But as I talk about this second part of the sermon to provide some solutions, I want to take you quickly to Psalm 37 because there’s an interesting statement made here. Psalm 37, verses 3 and 4. Trust in the Lord. And that’s where we started. Trust in the Lord and do good.

Dwell in the land. Cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord. And he will give you the desires of your heart. Isn’t that a neat phrase? He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust also in him, and he will do it. Are you going to buy in? Trust in the Lord. He’ll do it. Are you going to commit your ways to the Lord? And then let Him give you the desires of your heart. Somebody says, Yeah. Now, this passage isn’t saying that God is somehow some kind of cosmic bending machine where you want something, you pull the lever, and you get it. You’re desperately wanting to be married. You commit your way to the Lord, and this drop dead, gorgeous woman appears in your path the next day, or this handsome hunk of a husband, who’s also the sweetest, kindest caring guy ever.

Ends up on your doorstep.

The man or woman of your dreams is going to land on your desktop tomorrow.

All of my pain, emotional and physical, is about to be vanquished. He will give me the desires of my heart. All of my woes, financial or otherwise, they vanish. Is that what this passage is saying? A lot of the things we think we want would not yield the payoff we think they would if we had them. Did you hear what I just said? A lot of the things that we think we want would not yield the payoff we think we would get if we got them. And some do pursue them and get them, and they don’t yield the payoff that they want.

That’s what Solomon said in the book of Ecclesiastes. That’s really the point of the book. We come to the New Testament and we learn in 1 Timothy 6 and verse 6, but godliness with contentment is great gain. Do we believe that? Have we bought into that? Godliness with contentment is great gain. And we need to keep on reading here. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light.

He will give you the desires of your heart. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, your judgment as the noonday. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. What he’s promising is to bring you to righteousness, which is ultimately the rewarding thing. Someone said as I was reading about this. The idea is that when we truly rejoice or delight in the eternal things of God, our desires will begin to parallel his.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, they are satisfied. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. So what this text is not saying in Psalm 37 is if you go to church every Sunday, you get a free BMW. Actually, Jesse doesn’t want to give you a free one. He wants you to come buy one. But that’s not what this text is saying. He’ll give you the desires of your heart. Let me give you an example of where this passage goes, I think. David. David says, God, I want to build you a house. 2 Samuel 7. And God comes to David and He doesn’t give him the desire of his heart. Right? He doesn’t let him build the house. He says, Solomon’s going to build it.

Your son’s going to build it. So he didn’t get what he wanted. He didn’t get the desire. But you know what was amazing is what he got instead? He got a promise from God that he would not lack of his descendant to sit upon the throne. He got a perpetual and enduring house of his own. Isn’t that something? He wanted to build a house for God. He was prohibited from doing that. But what God did instead is give him a house. Something better than a building. He gave him an enduring house. And Christ sits upon David’s throne. That’s the point of the sermon in Acts chapter 2. He is in fulfillment of that promise, reigning as king forever. A descendant of David.

As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for thee, O God, David said. My soul thirsts for God for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? Make the Lord the source of your passion. And fulfillment will come. God will always provide above and beyond our expectations. This world will never satisfy all of our longings.

You could line up woman after woman every day that is one of the most beautiful women. Hey, that Elon Nordegrin is a pretty woman. You could line up woman after woman after woman every day of your life, and you will settle for less than what God offers. Or man after man after man. Who’s so much better than the one I now have. Well, they may be.

Or a better wife out there. But the fact is, this is the one you chose. This is the one that you are allowed to enjoy this temporary time of companionship and intimacy. This is the person that you chose. That’s it. That’s what God allows. But we have a lot of folks that just aren’t buying into that anymore. Because I’ve got to be happy. Okay, but you’re going to settle for less. And in the end, you’re going to destroy yourself. You’re going to destroy your soul. Only Jesus provides the living water that dwells inside a person and springs up to eternal life. What about the son? Oh I got to read this passage. Matthew 7. I’m almost done. Matthew 7. Ask and it shall be given to you.

Seek and you shall find knock, and the door shall be open. Everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks find. Him who knocks, it shall be open. It goes perfectly with Psalm 37. Or what man is there among you when his son says, Give me a loaf? Oh, here, son, have a snake. I’m glad my dad never did that. I hate snakes. Dad, can we have something to eat? Oh, well, here, have a snake. What father does that? Not a good one. Or if he shall ask. Oh, that was a stone. I mixed the two verses. He asks for a loaf and he gives him a stone. If he asked for a fish, he gives him a snake. Either way. A stone doesn’t taste very good either.

If you then being evil, said in contrast to God, if you then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more? How much more? Underline that, kids. How much more shall your father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask him? You think your father’s have treated you well, and mine has. Can’t tell you the stuff he’s given me. And he’s never given me a snake. But however good my father has been, it’s nothing compared to what my heavenly Father wants to give. He knows how to give what is good to those who ask him. Interesting in the other parallel text of this, it says, Give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. That’s interesting. The revelation, the instruction that we need to guide us in this life.

Conclusion

Delight in Him.

Delight in Him and watch what happens. The tragedy of our sin can be given a clean slate. Again, I don’t mean to beat you when you’re down. But we have to turn from vain and empty things to serve a living and true God in holiness and goodness. And trust in him to fulfill all of our desire.

Are we going to buy in to his promises? Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, they shall be satisfied. Will you be satisfied with God’s exceedingly better offer? Can we help someone in your obedience to the Lord tonight while we stand and sin together?