People of the Word

Lesson 14

Moral Purity

Proverbs 5, 6, 7

Why the Resistance?

2 Timothy 3:12: In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. John 3:19: This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

Ephesians 5:13: But everything exposed by the light becomes visible

Why Be Moral & Pure?

Leviticus 11:44: I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.

The Holy Call

1 Thessalonians 4:7: For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

Ephesians 1:4: For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

The Holy Truth

Psalm 12:6: And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.

James 3:17: But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Jesus Makes You HolyJohn 17:19: For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

Titus 2: For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. While we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

God Does HateHaughty Eyes

Lying Tongue

Hands that shed innocent blood

A heart that devises wicked schemes

Feet that are quick to rush into evil

A false witness who pours out lies

A man who stirs up dissension among brothers

The Road to Immorality

James 1:13-16: When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don't be deceived, my dear brothers.

The Road to Immorality

James 1:13-16: When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don't be deceived, my dear brothers.

David’s Road to Immorality

Temptation; away from where he should be – Verses 1 & 2

Enticed; Sin Conceived – Verse 2

Birth – Verse 4

Deaths – Verse 24; 12:19

2 Samuel 11

The Beginning of the EndMatthew 5:29-30Matthew 18:8-9

Temptation – eyeLocation – hands and feet

Proverbs 20:9: Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”?

Proverbs 16:2: All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.

Truth And Consequences

Hebrews 4:13: Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account

Proverbs 5:21: For a man’s ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths.

Jeremiah 16:17: My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes.

1 Peter 3:12b: but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.

The Consequences of Immorality

Psalm 38:3: Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin.

Psalm 38:18: I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.

Psalm 51:3: For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

Isaiah 30:13: this sin will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly, in an instant.

The Consequences of Immorality

Ezekiel 18:24a: “But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered.”

Numbers 14:18: ‘The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.’

The Consequences of Immorality

Ezekiel 18:24a: “But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered.”

Numbers 14:18: ‘The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.’

Recovery From Immorality

1 Peter 4:3-6: For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

Recovery From Immorality

Hebrews 2:18: Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 4:15-16: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Philippians 1:6: being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Defense & Responsibility

Philippians 4:8: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Romans 12:1-2: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

The Best Defense is a Good Offense

Romans 6:12: “Do not let”Ephesians 5:1-5: “There must not be even a hint”Ephesians 5:11: “Have nothing to do”Philippians 1:27: “Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ”Colossians 3:3: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature” Colossians 3:8: “You must rid yourselves of all such things”2 Timothy 2:22: “Flee the evil desires of your youth”Hebrews 12:12: “Strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees; make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy”1 Peter 1:13: “Prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled”1 Peter 2:11: “Abstain from sinful desires”

Our ResponsibilityTitus 2:1-8: You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

Types of Love

Eros

Phileo

Agape

Types Level of Intimacy

Low or None

Moderate

Highest

Stage ofSanctification

Beginning

Medium

Highest

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

4: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5: It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6: Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7: It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8: Love never fails.

It All Starts With God

1 Thessalonians 5:23a: May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.

1 Peter 1:13-16: Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

It All Starts With God

Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

1 Corinthians 10:13: No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

The Right Road

Isaiah 35:8: And a highway will be there [the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God]; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it.