Purity... Part 2
So, after yesterday's post you might wonder ho much more I could rant... the answer is A LOT more! This is one of those things that has been bubbling over in my brain this week, matching so many thoughts and combining them together, hopefully allowing me to put into words a lot of what God has been telling me lately.
Back to the conversation...
Yesterday I talked a little about the connection between how we think and our purity level, especially when it comes to the excuses we make! Today we're going to look at several specific standards God sets and how it relates to us.
First off, here's a chunk from the New Testament (Ephesians 5:3-7 NIV):
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.
Notice the first line: there must not be "even a hint" of sexual immorality... That's a tall order, don't you think? It means that there shouldn't be relationships that make you wonder if the couple is doing something besides cuddling and holding hands, it means there shouldn't be guys making long stares at someone who dressed kind of like a hooker, it means all that and so much more. It means there can be none of what the world calls okay. Watching movies with some serious sexual content and lots of skin, might not make you feel bad, but it revs the sexual engine inside of you (of you're a guy this is 100% true, if you're a lady it can be 100% true as well but wasn't as often prior to our era) which can lead to al kinds of places we cannot be. Making out with that guy/girl (or your boyfriend/girlfriend) at the party might not seem like a big deal, but it can lead all kinds of places too because once you start on down that road, its awful hard to change course! That's why I often encourage students not to date in high school, it only leads to pain (broken hearts, potential sexual sin that scars, etc.) especially if the physical is involved.
I mean, God wired us to be physical creatures, so we know that we react to physical pleasure strongly. In fact, studies (and testimony before congress about pornography) show that the physical orgasm is more addictive than cocaine and creates some of the strongest opiates naturally in your body. That means, simply, that once you start having sex/masturbating you are going to be hooked. In college some of my friends spoke of not "letting the genie out of the bottle, because as soon as you did he'd never go back in." It was code for sex, because it is meant to be the pinnacle of relational intimacy when two people literally become one. God wasn't kidding when He said that marriage meant that two became one: the physical union sex affords literally creates one person and links them in ever deepening ways. Knowing that today, Paul's admonishment to the Ephesians makes a lot more sense! Sex is addictive (on purpose!) and leaves us wanting more. God knows that, because He's the one who made us that way, so it makes perfect sense for Him to warn us about losing the amazing gift He gave us. It's like giving a boy a knife: you tell them not to touch the blade because you care, not because you're a constricting jerk, as you know that they will get hurt doing so! Purity is that way: God tells us because He knows the end results and hurt we will suffer doing things another way...
Now, here's the crux of the issue from the Old Testament (Leviticus 19.2 NLT:Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.'
God's call to be holy (set apart, reserved for something, different) doesn't come from some need to dominate. Instead, it comes from His desire that we become "all that we can be," perfect in His image. Because it follows that if we are made in God's image, our peak of perfection would be to be as similar to God as we possibly can. Well, God in the Old Testament revealed Himself as holy and called His people to be like Him. It's not hard to understand: kids try to be like their parents a lot of the time. God wants us to be like Him, but we decide we know better! I mean, how many of us would argue with our mechanic who says it's just the spark plugs that are causing our car/truck to run rough? The mechanic tends to know more about cars than say, an accountant. Thus why people take their cars to mechanics and their business affairs/taxes to accountants. They know because it's what they do! The same is true of God, He knows what is best for us because He made us that way. Why do we try to argue with that?
I'll pick this back up tomorrow (and hopefully get closer to getting it all out there), but for now, ponder why we think we know better than God. Just like the little kid who touches the stove to find out that his parents knew better, we try to play with fire and not get burned while God clearly tells us that we will get burned and it will hurt. Are you ignoring God's warnings to do things your own way? Take some time and think about what God's intentions are and what your response needs to be...
Back to the conversation...
Yesterday I talked a little about the connection between how we think and our purity level, especially when it comes to the excuses we make! Today we're going to look at several specific standards God sets and how it relates to us.
First off, here's a chunk from the New Testament (Ephesians 5:3-7 NIV):
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.
Notice the first line: there must not be "even a hint" of sexual immorality... That's a tall order, don't you think? It means that there shouldn't be relationships that make you wonder if the couple is doing something besides cuddling and holding hands, it means there shouldn't be guys making long stares at someone who dressed kind of like a hooker, it means all that and so much more. It means there can be none of what the world calls okay. Watching movies with some serious sexual content and lots of skin, might not make you feel bad, but it revs the sexual engine inside of you (of you're a guy this is 100% true, if you're a lady it can be 100% true as well but wasn't as often prior to our era) which can lead to al kinds of places we cannot be. Making out with that guy/girl (or your boyfriend/girlfriend) at the party might not seem like a big deal, but it can lead all kinds of places too because once you start on down that road, its awful hard to change course! That's why I often encourage students not to date in high school, it only leads to pain (broken hearts, potential sexual sin that scars, etc.) especially if the physical is involved.
I mean, God wired us to be physical creatures, so we know that we react to physical pleasure strongly. In fact, studies (and testimony before congress about pornography) show that the physical orgasm is more addictive than cocaine and creates some of the strongest opiates naturally in your body. That means, simply, that once you start having sex/masturbating you are going to be hooked. In college some of my friends spoke of not "letting the genie out of the bottle, because as soon as you did he'd never go back in." It was code for sex, because it is meant to be the pinnacle of relational intimacy when two people literally become one. God wasn't kidding when He said that marriage meant that two became one: the physical union sex affords literally creates one person and links them in ever deepening ways. Knowing that today, Paul's admonishment to the Ephesians makes a lot more sense! Sex is addictive (on purpose!) and leaves us wanting more. God knows that, because He's the one who made us that way, so it makes perfect sense for Him to warn us about losing the amazing gift He gave us. It's like giving a boy a knife: you tell them not to touch the blade because you care, not because you're a constricting jerk, as you know that they will get hurt doing so! Purity is that way: God tells us because He knows the end results and hurt we will suffer doing things another way...
Now, here's the crux of the issue from the Old Testament (Leviticus 19.2 NLT:Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.'
God's call to be holy (set apart, reserved for something, different) doesn't come from some need to dominate. Instead, it comes from His desire that we become "all that we can be," perfect in His image. Because it follows that if we are made in God's image, our peak of perfection would be to be as similar to God as we possibly can. Well, God in the Old Testament revealed Himself as holy and called His people to be like Him. It's not hard to understand: kids try to be like their parents a lot of the time. God wants us to be like Him, but we decide we know better! I mean, how many of us would argue with our mechanic who says it's just the spark plugs that are causing our car/truck to run rough? The mechanic tends to know more about cars than say, an accountant. Thus why people take their cars to mechanics and their business affairs/taxes to accountants. They know because it's what they do! The same is true of God, He knows what is best for us because He made us that way. Why do we try to argue with that?
I'll pick this back up tomorrow (and hopefully get closer to getting it all out there), but for now, ponder why we think we know better than God. Just like the little kid who touches the stove to find out that his parents knew better, we try to play with fire and not get burned while God clearly tells us that we will get burned and it will hurt. Are you ignoring God's warnings to do things your own way? Take some time and think about what God's intentions are and what your response needs to be...
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