Keep Yourself Pure - Christian Forum - Bible Forum - Christian Religion Bible Study Forum

KWorden · #1 03-25-09, 04:24 AM

Keep Yourself Pure

If you’re like me you are getting increasingly disgusted with the morality of the world. Around here casinos are popping up all over the place and our state recently voted to pass an “Education Lottery.” If you watch TV for more than about 30 minutes you will probably see several "sex sells" commercials. I’m almost embarrassed to go to Wal-Mart during the summer months because of the immodest dress of many of the patrons. In fact, many of us probably witness most of the “works of the flesh” found in Galatians 5:19-20 in an 8 hour day at work!

How is a Christian to deal with this? Paul gave Timothy a personal responsibility in 1 Timothy 5:22 to “keep yourself pure.” The bottom line for Christians is we cannot allow ourselves to be influenced by society. Paul not only told the Romans “do not be conformed to this world” but he also told them to accomplish this “by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:1-2). Changing their mindset, changing their thought process was the key to staying pure in the world.

Pure thoughts.

O how hard is it to maintain pure thoughts all day everyday! Sometimes I think an unusual surplus of ignorant people cross my path during a day with the intention of bating me into impure thoughts. Today it was the guy in front of me who set through the green light while talking on his cell phone. He was followed by the 2 ladies at the store who were catching up on each others lives right in front of the loaf of bread I wanted to purchase. Hey ladies, this isn’t the coffee shop! Of course, there are other things that attempt to corrupt our hearts like television programs, radio programs, movies, music, and pornography. Our children not only deal with these things but they also have teachers and professors telling them that the world is millions of years old, they evolved from apes, and that abstinence isn’t he answer. Many things attempt to corrupt our thoughts on a daily basis.

Just as Paul told the Romans that it all starts in the mind there are numerous other scriptures that reinforce this thought:

Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.

Matthew 15:19-20 “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.”

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Likewise, James told his audience that part of pure religion was to keep themselves “unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). In order to succeed at this we have to be irreproachable and not have any sinful vices in our lives. Our speech and our actions must exemplify purity. Let’s deal with our speech first…

Pure Speech

In Matthew 12:34-37 Jesus said “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” and that in the Judgment Day we will be judged by the words that have come out of our mouth.

Brothers and sisters, how seriously do we treat our speech? Are we careful to not take the Lord’s name in vain (Exodus 20:7)? Do we let those curse words fly when we aren’t around believers? I’ve had a preacher tell me that he walked into the Post Office and heard some of the most filthy language he had ever heard coming out of the mouth of one of the members of the church (he didn’t mention the members name). He said he didn’t know who was more embarrassed – him or the brother who was using such filthy language. Are there some jokes we would tell to certain people but not to others? Do we forward some emails to people that we wouldn’t dare forward to other Christians?

Some verses to keep in mind:

Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto thehearers.”

Colossians 3:8 “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”

James 3:10 “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”

Let’s always be conscious of our speech.

Pure Actions

Certainly, we must have pure actions if we are to remain “unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27) I’m afraid there are several areas where many Christians have dropped the ball:

Our Dress Must Be Pure – I’m particularly thinking of Paul’s communication with Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:8-10 where he said that he said he desired the women to “adorn themselves in modest apparel.” Obviously, this goes for men as well since immodest dress could spark arousal in both sexes. I must admit I’m disappointed many Christians think worship service is some kind of fashion runway in Paris where anything goes. It’s not uncommon to see short skirts, spaghetti straps, and cleavage in the assemblies. This ought not to be. I can’t imagine what they wear when they aren’t in the assemblies of the saints! A conservative, modest approach to our clothing is absolutely necessary.

Dancing– Some things are just off limits to Christians. At the very least dancing falls under “lasciviousness” and “revellings.” (Galatians 5:19-20) Thayer defines “lasciviousness” as unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence. Those definitions seem tame compared to some of the bumping and grinding that goes on at the average high school dance these days. School officials just don’t understand how an innocent dance has turned into blatant simulations of sex acts out on the dance floor.

Drinking and Drugs – I’ll mention 1 Thessalonians 5:22; Ephesians 5:18; and 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 and let them speak for themselves. However, let me add that just because your drug may be prescribed doesn’t mean that it couldn’t be abused and be sinful. This seems to be the new craze among drug users. Christians should have not part of either drinking of drugs.

Gambling – I mentioned this earlier and I certainly think that we haven’t been as vocal in opposition to this as we should be. When the lottery came up here in Oklahoma a few years ago, one Christian man told me he was for it because it was the only way the poor people would ever pay any taxes. While that may be true, a Christian’s primary concern is not with the physical but with the spiritual. At the very least, gambling encourages greed, covetousness, and laziness. Not only that but it also discourages honest work. Having been in the finance industry I can’t tell you how many people couldn’t pay their loans because they spent their entire paycheck – yes, entire paycheck – gambling instead of honoring their responsibilities. Several biblical principles are violated in regards to gambling.

Books, Movies, Television, Music – This maybe the one area that Christians have become desensitized to the most. Let me illustrate my point. How many of us have seen the movie “Titanic?” Let me admit that I have. I just looked at a common website I use to check out movies before I let my kids watch them and here are the ratings for “Titanic.”

Disrespectful/Bad Attitude – Heavy
Frightening/Tense Scenes – Heavy
Profanity – Heavy
Sex/Nudity –Heavy
Violence – Moderate
Guns/Weapons – Moderate
Alcohol – Mild
Blood/Gore – Mild
Smoking – Mild

There are others but these kind of jumped out at me. If you would have asked me about “Titanic” from memory I probably would have told you wasn’t too bad. In reality, it isn’t too bad compared to some that I’m embarrassed to say I’ve seen. This is the area that I struggle with the most. As a Christian, I don’t have any business watching the unedited version of this movie. It couldn’t possibly help me in my quest to live a pure life. Let’s remember Psalms 101:3 “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes”

This isn’t a comprehensive list of actions that we must avoid in order to keep ourselves pure but serves as an idea of what it takes to be “unspotted from the world.” We must always live lives of purity. In order to maintain pure thoughts, pure speech, and pure actions we must never place ourselves in situations where the temptation to sin is present. We can never let our friends encourage us to compromise what we know to be God’s will for us. In Matthew 6:24 Jesus said “No one can serve two masters.” Who is your master? Is it the world or is it God? Are you earnestly striving to keep yourself pure? By keeping yourself pure you “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

johnh1094 · #2 03-25-09, 02:32 PM

Great study, brother. Thanks!

gzusfrk · #3 05-31-09, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KWorden

Keep Yourself Pure

If you’re like me you are getting increasingly disgusted with the morality of the world. Around here casinos are popping up all over the place and our state recently voted to pass an “Education Lottery.” If you watch TV for more than about 30 minutes you will probably see several "sex sells" commercials. I’m almost embarrassed to go to Wal-Mart during the summer months because of the immodest dress of many of the patrons. In fact, many of us probably witness most of the “works of the flesh” found in Galatians 5:19-20 in an 8 hour day at work!

How is a Christian to deal with this? Paul gave Timothy a personal responsibility in 1 Timothy 5:22 to “keep yourself pure.” The bottom line for Christians is we cannot allow ourselves to be influenced by society. Paul not only told the Romans “do not be conformed to this world” but he also told them to accomplish this “by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:1-2). Changing their mindset, changing their thought process was the key to staying pure in the world.

Pure thoughts.

O how hard is it to maintain pure thoughts all day everyday! Sometimes I think an unusual surplus of ignorant people cross my path during a day with the intention of bating me into impure thoughts. Today it was the guy in front of me who set through the green light while talking on his cell phone. He was followed by the 2 ladies at the store who were catching up on each others lives right in front of the loaf of bread I wanted to purchase. Hey ladies, this isn’t the coffee shop! Of course, there are other things that attempt to corrupt our hearts like television programs, radio programs, movies, music, and pornography. Our children not only deal with these things but they also have teachers and professors telling them that the world is millions of years old, they evolved from apes, and that abstinence isn’t he answer. Many things attempt to corrupt our thoughts on a daily basis.

Just as Paul told the Romans that it all starts in the mind there are numerous other scriptures that reinforce this thought:

Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.

Matthew 15:19-20 “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.”

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Likewise, James told his audience that part of pure religion was to keep themselves “unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). In order to succeed at this we have to be irreproachable and not have any sinful vices in our lives. Our speech and our actions must exemplify purity. Let’s deal with our speech first…

Pure Speech

In Matthew 12:34-37 Jesus said “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” and that in the Judgment Day we will be judged by the words that have come out of our mouth.

Brothers and sisters, how seriously do we treat our speech? Are we careful to not take the Lord’s name in vain (Exodus 20:7)? Do we let those curse words fly when we aren’t around believers? I’ve had a preacher tell me that he walked into the Post Office and heard some of the most filthy language he had ever heard coming out of the mouth of one of the members of the church (he didn’t mention the members name). He said he didn’t know who was more embarrassed – him or the brother who was using such filthy language. Are there some jokes we would tell to certain people but not to others? Do we forward some emails to people that we wouldn’t dare forward to other Christians?

Some verses to keep in mind:

Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto thehearers.”

Colossians 3:8 “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”

James 3:10 “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”

Let’s always be conscious of our speech.

Pure Actions

Certainly, we must have pure actions if we are to remain “unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27) I’m afraid there are several areas where many Christians have dropped the ball:

Our Dress Must Be Pure – I’m particularly thinking of Paul’s communication with Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:8-10 where he said that he said he desired the women to “adorn themselves in modest apparel.” Obviously, this goes for men as well since immodest dress could spark arousal in both sexes. I must admit I’m disappointed many Christians think worship service is some kind of fashion runway in Paris where anything goes. It’s not uncommon to see short skirts, spaghetti straps, and cleavage in the assemblies. This ought not to be. I can’t imagine what they wear when they aren’t in the assemblies of the saints! A conservative, modest approach to our clothing is absolutely necessary.

Dancing– Some things are just off limits to Christians. At the very least dancing falls under “lasciviousness” and “revellings.” (Galatians 5:19-20) Thayer defines “lasciviousness” as unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence. Those definitions seem tame compared to some of the bumping and grinding that goes on at the average high school dance these days. School officials just don’t understand how an innocent dance has turned into blatant simulations of sex acts out on the dance floor.

Drinking and Drugs – I’ll mention 1 Thessalonians 5:22; Ephesians 5:18; and 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 and let them speak for themselves. However, let me add that just because your drug may be prescribed doesn’t mean that it couldn’t be abused and be sinful. This seems to be the new craze among drug users. Christians should have not part of either drinking of drugs.

Gambling – I mentioned this earlier and I certainly think that we haven’t been as vocal in opposition to this as we should be. When the lottery came up here in Oklahoma a few years ago, one Christian man told me he was for it because it was the only way the poor people would ever pay any taxes. While that may be true, a Christian’s primary concern is not with the physical but with the spiritual. At the very least, gambling encourages greed, covetousness, and laziness. Not only that but it also discourages honest work. Having been in the finance industry I can’t tell you how many people couldn’t pay their loans because they spent their entire paycheck – yes, entire paycheck – gambling instead of honoring their responsibilities. Several biblical principles are violated in regards to gambling.

Books, Movies, Television, Music – This maybe the one area that Christians have become desensitized to the most. Let me illustrate my point. How many of us have seen the movie “Titanic?” Let me admit that I have. I just looked at a common website I use to check out movies before I let my kids watch them and here are the ratings for “Titanic.”

Disrespectful/Bad Attitude – Heavy
Frightening/Tense Scenes – Heavy
Profanity – Heavy
Sex/Nudity –Heavy
Violence – Moderate
Guns/Weapons – Moderate
Alcohol – Mild
Blood/Gore – Mild
Smoking – Mild

There are others but these kind of jumped out at me. If you would have asked me about “Titanic” from memory I probably would have told you wasn’t too bad. In reality, it isn’t too bad compared to some that I’m embarrassed to say I’ve seen. This is the area that I struggle with the most. As a Christian, I don’t have any business watching the unedited version of this movie. It couldn’t possibly help me in my quest to live a pure life. Let’s remember Psalms 101:3 “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes”

This isn’t a comprehensive list of actions that we must avoid in order to keep ourselves pure but serves as an idea of what it takes to be “unspotted from the world.” We must always live lives of purity. In order to maintain pure thoughts, pure speech, and pure actions we must never place ourselves in situations where the temptation to sin is present. We can never let our friends encourage us to compromise what we know to be God’s will for us. In Matthew 6:24 Jesus said “No one can serve two masters.” Who is your master? Is it the world or is it God? Are you earnestly striving to keep yourself pure? By keeping yourself pure you “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Yea! I'm with you on the titanic, thinking back it did'nt seem that bad, maybe our heart did'nt see the bad, blocked it out. It is getting worse it seem's like nothing to watch,leave it to beaver day's are over.

Lee Parish · #4 08-17-09, 01:56 PM

From Mike Riley's Articles http://mbriley.preachersfiles.com/20...the-t-v-guide/
------------------------------------------------

THE BIBLE AND THE T.V. Guide

“On the table side by side:
The Holy Bible and the T.V. Guide
One is well worn, but cherished with pride
(Not the Bible, but the T.V. Guide.)
One is used daily to help folk decide.
No! It isn’t the Bible; it’s the T.V. Guide.
As pages are turned, what shall they see?
Oh, what does it matter, turn on the T.V.
Then confusion reigns; they can’t all agree
On what they shall watch on the old T.V.
So they open the book in which the confide
(No, not the Bible, it’s the T.V. Guide.)
The Word of God is seldom read.
Maybe a verse before they fall into bed.
Exhausted and sleepy and tired as can be,
Not from reading the Bible, from watching T.V.
So, then back to the table, side by side.
Is the Holy Bible and the T.V. Guide.
No time for prayer, no time for the Word.
The plan of salvation is seldom heard.
Forgiveness of sin, so full and free
Is found in the Bible, not on T.V.”

-------------------------------------------

Which do you treasure? One is bound to keep you pure, the other is guaranteed to spoil, and infect.

johnh1094 · #5 08-18-09, 10:43 AM

One is bound to keep you pure, the other is bound to keep you enslaved! (You might say!)

Lee Parish · #6 08-18-09, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnh1094

One is bound to keep you pure, the other is bound to keep you enslaved! (You might say!)

Quoted for truth!