“Why We Believe We Should Protect Each Other’s Purity”

(Exodus 20:14; 2 Samuel 11)

I. Introduction.

A. Orientation.

Jesus says

Should love God

All heart, mind, soul, strength;

And love neighbor as self.

But how?

Everyone seems to have own way,

But God has His.

If love Him,

Must do His way,

That includes how love each other.

We’ve seen to love others,

Must respect authority God gives –

In state, church, home –

Must protect life –

Not only in actions,

But in thoughts, intentions/desires, words.

B. Preview.

This evening,

See must also protect each other’s purity.

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This particularly relevant today’s world

Where western culture so fixated

On, pardon the word, sex.

It’s so powerful,

Everything marketed with it;

So desirable,

Everyone seems intent on

Getting as much as they can.

God created it to be good,

But something to be enjoyed

Only in context of marriage,

That a couple may also have children,

And that they might be raised

In ways of the Lord.

The failure to do that

Has resulted in problems we see.

Not forget,

Marriage primarily for companionship.

If put act of marriage in its place,

Can destroy the relationship

Consider all broken marriages among celebs –

When no longer fun,

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No longer care.

In light of this,

How can we protect our own

And our neighbor’s purity?

Let’s consider:

1. Why we need to do this.

2. How to do this.

II. Sermon.

A. First, why important that we do?

God commands.

But why command?

Because loves us,

Because for our good.

This desire has potential

To create very strong relational bond,

Something that outside of marriage not good.

To fall to this sin

Can result in children.

But children need stable family –

Need father and mother

To be balanced and healthy.

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Because very addicting –

Has potential to become an idol.

Because it’s right

That a man and woman

Stay married for life.

The only exceptions are:

Divorce for biblical grounds –

Adultery or desertion –

And death –

If our spouse dies,

We may marry again,

But only a believer (1 Cor. 7:39) –

That true of first marriage as well (2 Cor. 6:14).

For these reasons

The Lord forbids these relations

Outside of marriage,

And warns that sexually impure

Won’t enter heaven.

Paul writes, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom

of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers,

nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards,

nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

Consider how many these are sexual sins:

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Fornication is relationship between two unmarried.

Adultery is with someone other than spouse,

Or with someone else’s spouse.

Effeminate refers to a man who behaves like a woman in a homosexual

relationship.

While homosexual here refers to a man who behaves like a man towards another

man who is effeminate in a homosexual relationship.

It’s interesting that idolater

Falls into this grouping.

Perhaps Paul is pointing out here

That these sins are form of idolatry –

It certainly has become case today.

Is this true just of these sins? (That won’t enter heaven)

No. It’s true of every sin.

The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23).

If don’t repent of any sin

Will destroy you.

Does that mean

No hope for those who done these things?

No. If repent and trust, there is hope.

Paul writes, “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were

sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the

Spirit of our God” (v. 11).

He will forgive and cleanse of all sin

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If turn to Him in faith.

Does that mean

If you’re tempted to these

Won’t inherit kingdom?

No. We’re all tempted variety of ways.

Not sin to be tempted, but to fall to temptation.

But don’t forget,

Sin to fall in thoughts/imaginations,

Desires and words,

Not just actions.

That being case,

Don’t want to fall short ourselves

Or be the cause of others to fall.

B. How can we protect ourselves and each other?

First, there are more obvious applications:

Don’t commit sexual sin

Outside of marriage.

Don’t do anything that leads to that act.

If you don’t have gift contentment,

Then seek wife.

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If married, keep self only for spouse.

Cultivate relationship with spouse

In all areas, not just act of marriage.

Be true companions and helpers to one another.

But there are other ways

That we often don’t think of

Because we’re so steeped

In our impure culture.

Let’s consider two:

1. Don’t provoke impure thoughts in others.

2. Don’t allow yourself to entertain impure thoughts about others.

First, don’t provoke impure thoughts in others.

How can you do this?

Through at least four of the five senses:

Touch, hearing, smell, and sight.

All the matter/stuff of ideas

Comes through the senses.

Need to make sure

Not communicating ideas

That stumble others.

Touch:

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Don’t get too close.

Touch very stimulating.

Perhaps young ladies don’t understand

How young men work,

But they’re very touchy –

In more than one sense.

Doesn’t take much contact

To stumble them.

All have something called hormones

That are stimulated through mind

As it’s informed by the senses.

It’s up to you not to make sure

You don’t provide that stimulation.

Maintain distance –

Personal space –

Need to limit, if not eliminate, contact:

Don’t hug,

Don’t hold hands,

Don’t put hand around waist or shoulders,

Don’t kiss.

But you say don’t want to stop

Because it’s too much fun.

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Yes, because stimulating,

But realize it’s like pouring gas on fire –

This true of all the stimuli –

Once fire gets strong enough

Won’t be able to put out.

The wisest man who ever lived

Wrote in this context: “Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be

burned? Or can a man walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched?” (Prov.

6:27-28).

Hearing:

Be careful what you say.

Don’t flirt.

Don’t be suggestive.

Don’t put impure ideas in mind.

Smell:

Be careful how much/what kind perfume,

That also stimulating,

Provokes desire.

Particularly sight:

Be careful what you wear.

The more skin you show,

The more desire will provoke.

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Even godless society understands this:

Why don’t they to this day –

Even as bad as we are –

Not allow clothes to be optional?

As saw things progressing growing up

Thought would be so by today,

But not.

Why not?

They know too much temptation not good –

Sexual crimes would skyrocket beyond what already,

Would be even more obsessed than now,

No work get done.

Desire increases relative to how much skin shows –

As well as how attractive –

And decreases relative to how much not show

Especially in particular areas,

And with particular gender.

Just ask any man – young or old –

Whether this provokes desire.

And so need to be careful.

Comfort not main concern.

Whether fashionable, not main concern.

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Whether provoking others to lust is.

When you wear provocative clothing,

You tempt and stumble those around you.

Can make them sin in mind,

Incite them to lust,

And make them liable to fall.

We have enough to deal with in our culture.

Without stumbling each other as well.

Have mercy on your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Honor the Lord:

Be careful how you touch,

Be careful what you say,

How much and what kind perfume you put on,

Especially what you wear:

Cover yourself.

How much?

Enough not to provoke lust.

2. But what about the other end.

How protect self from lust?

Impurity begins in mind,

Moves heart,

Becomes action.

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Need to guard mind,

By guarding gateways to mind:

Be careful what you look at.

Be careful what you listen to.

How you touch,

What you smell.

If you have seen, heard, touched, smelled,

If already in mind,

Be careful what you allow self to think/imagine.

Once there, hard to deal with,

Better to keep from entering.

But need to deal with if already there.

If gains control of mind,

Will move heart,

Will produce sinful actions.

Consider our passage:

Bathsheba was bathing in public,

David saw,

Didn’t turn away, but lusted,

Took her,

Committed adultery with her,

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And ended up murdering her husband.

Don’t think could happen to us,

But can.

And so protect yourself –

Guard the gateway of mind.

And protect others:

Guard their purity as well.

That is how Lord wants you to love them.

And this is how He wants you to love Him. Amen.

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