“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” – Psalm 34:17-19
Hollywood, advertising, music, laptops, smartphones – sexual temptation is everywhere.
For those striving to live in purity, how do we navigate this road? What can we do?
The Bible shows us that purity is always a heart issue.
With this in mind, let’s look at three basic truths about the goodness of God, the One who is calling us to purity.
Truth #1: God is for you.
He is a good father. All His ways are good and all He does is for our good. He wants us to experience His best for our life.
The first sin planted a tiny seed of doubt in Adam and Eve’s minds, doubting the goodness of God. “God does not want me to have any fun. God is holding out on me. God does not care about my desires.”
If we doubt the goodness of God, we end up compromising and settling for a cheap alternative to what God has created. Trust and believe that God is for you and His way is the best way.
Truth #2: Purity of heart is an invitation – not an exclusion.
The enemy of God wants us to believe that living in purity means missing out. Here is my response: You are missing out. But what you’re missing out on is baggage and pain!
Sexual sin causes external consequences and internal damage. With each sexual exchange, we leave behind a part of ourselves. The enemy wants to cause pain. His mission is to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus wants us to experience abundant life and God’s best. His mission is to seek, save, and restore. Which sounds better to you?
Truth #3: There is hope in Jesus.
In today’s culture, a conversation around purity may appear hopeless. Look back on your own sexual history. Do you have regrets? Do you feel hopeless? In the eyes of the Savior, there is no such thing as a hopelessly lost cause.
In Jesus, there is always hope! There is redemption. There is forgiveness. There is grace and there is mercy. In Jesus, there is new life, a new story, and a new heart of purity that is invited to see God.
Don’t let the lies of impurity distort your view of God. Hold onto God’s goodness and trust that the promises of God’s Word are for you!
Adapted from a sermon by Senior Pastor, George Wright, Shades Mountain Baptist Church
