A Pure Walk in a Polluted World

Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham. Welcome to this Tuesday, February 11, 2013. God in hope, that's the much more life. In the verses that are in front of us today, I want to speak to you on this much more life is a pure walk in a polluted world.

The much more life is a pure walk in a polluted world, an impure world. These verses tell us in beginning at verse 1 that we are to be imitators of God as beloved children, that is we have life in Christ, and walk in love as Christ has loved us and gave Himself for us a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. And therein is the gospel, that's a good news alert.

We see it on the news and the banner at the bottom sometimes, news alert. So right here at the outset, that's a good news alert that God loves us, that He gave His Son as a sacrifice for our sins and while the cross was a bloody and disastrous end to the physical life of Christ, it was a beautiful sacrifice to God that He accepted and therefore it is beautiful to us. And so we are to walk in life because we are the children of God, we are to walk in love as Christ has loved us. But then we turn a corner, but sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you as is proper among saints, and the saints are all the children of God.

Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk, nor crude joking which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure or who is covetous," and that's a word which also means lustful, it's primarily used in this context as a covetousness for sin and sexual sin and greediness and all that goes with it, that is an idolater, has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. We have been practicing safe distancing and sanitation to protect ourselves from a virus, and we are taking preventative steps to stay healthy and to stop the spread. Again we are making every effort we can to avoid this plague in our lives and to stay clean and sanitized and all the rest. Well spiritually, we should make every effort possible in the power of Christ to stay clean and clear of another virus, and that is a virus of sin. And in particular, as we read it in this passage, sexual sin, immorality, we live in a hedonistic sex-charged culture, much like the culture at Ephesus, which was a very pornographic culture, permissive in every way. So what was going on in Ephesus so long ago is Christians were facing this battle, we find ourselves in the same battle.

Ephesus was polluted, Ephesus was in many ways a very vile and wicked city, and yet Christians were to rise up and to live by a new standard, to walk in life, to walk in the love of Christ, and in the light of Christ, as we'll see in just a moment. 2 Corinthians 7, 1 says, since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion, in your translation it may say perfecting or bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. Several weeks ago, we talked about the fear that ends all fears, which is the fear of God, a wholesome, healthy fear, respect, reverence for Almighty God. So as Christians now, we're living in love, we're living in the light, we're living by a different standard than the world. The world around us, the contemporary Christless culture, unrestrained lust, unbridled passions, and uncontrolled selfishness.

That's the world, that's the polluted world that I'm talking about, the sick world that is described here. And as Christians, we can no longer live as we did before we met Christ, and certainly now that we know Christ, we are to separate from the world and live lives that are different. We are to avoid sexual sin and immorality of all kinds like a plague. This battle for purity is fierce, and it never ends. There is no anti-body, no immunity against temptation to sin.

And unless you think you're by this kind of temptation in your life, the Bible says, let him who stands take heed lest he fall, in other words, be careful that you don't fall. We're told by Jesus when we pray to pray daily that God would deliver us from evil, from the evil one. No one wins a battle without preparation. If you do not prepare for battles, then prepare to lose.

Those who win, those who are victims or victors rather than victims prepare against the onslaught of the enemy. And that's what I want to talk to you about today in this message as we consider how to live a pure life. Is it even possible to live a pure life in such a polluted world? Because we do have a choice to live by God's standards or the world's standards. When you choose God's will, when you choose God's ways, you can expect God's blessings and God's favor. Jesus said, blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

But when you choose your own way or the way of the world, you invite misery and ultimately a life destined for disaster. We are God's children and therefore we are to live like our Father, like Father, like Son. Verse 1 says, be imitators of God as beloved children, as dear children. He is the model. He is the measure. Jesus said, be perfect as the Heavenly Father is perfect in heaven.

So that becomes the standard, the goal. God commands purity and forbids impurity in every way. Let me just give you a few verses. Let's start with the Big Ten and the Seventh Commandment. Do not commit adultery. That is, don't pollute your marriage with sexual sin. First Corinthians 6, 18, advancing to the New Testament.

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. There is a judgment in this sin against oneself. And then Colossians 3 and verse 5, Colossians 3 verse 5, put to death therefore what is earthly in you. Sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and covetousness which is idolatry.

And then one more, two more. First Thessalonians 4, 7, for God has not called us to impurity but to holiness. First Timothy 5, 22, do not be hasty in the laying on of hands nor take part in the sins of others, keep yourself pure. Back to Ephesians chapter 5, the NIV puts it this way, the New International Version. But among you there must not even be a hint, not a hint, not even a little bit, not a cent, not a hint of sexual immorality or of any kind of impurity or of greed because these are improper for God's holy people. We live in light not darkness. Therefore we are no longer indulging the thirst of sensual pleasure but we are hungry and thirsty as Jesus said for righteousness, for truth and for God's will. You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and today's message, A Pure Walk in a Polluted World. As a follower of Jesus Christ you have every reason to hope and we want to help you experience that hope by sending you Pastor Graham's book of meditations on Romans 8 called A Hope and a Future.

In it he shows you how you can experience freedom from confusion, doubt or fear. This powerful resource is our thanks for your gift today. And to thank you for a gift of $50 or more we'll also include Pastor Graham's book Help, Hope and Healing for Life's Challenges. So call now to request your resources. Call 1-800-795-4627, that's 1-800-795-4627.

You can also text the word PowerPoint to 313131, that's PowerPoint to 313131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our e-store, give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional. Our website again is Jack Graham.org. Now let's get back to today's message, A Pure Walk in a Polluted World. My friend Ray Pritchard, pastor friend of mine, said it very well. He said, we are no longer free agents making up our moral choices as we go along. Christians believe something stupendous that the world does not understand at all. We believe there is a God in heaven who has spoken.

That His Word is authoritative and that He has the absolute right to determine our moral choices which includes what we say, what we eat and drink, who we have sex with, how we conduct our business affairs, how we spend our money and all the other choices we make in life. Let us be frank and say that the world finds this strange, somewhat mysterious, possibly anti-social and borderline dangerous. When it comes to things like who we sleep with, we believe that God has spoken clearly, that fornication is always wrong, that homosexual behavior is always wrong and that adultery is always wrong. In short, we believe something the world rejects, that there is a God in heaven who has spoken and whose words about sexuality should be, must be, obeyed. Therefore let no impurity of any kind and in a world that champions and celebrates impurity and immorality, we as believers get a clear warning here.

It includes not only our lifestyles but even our language. Verse four says, let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk, crude joking out of place but instead let there be thanksgiving. So in other words, not only our minds and morals but our mouths.

Get it out of the gutter. We're not to regurgitate filth or sewage. Our speech should be characterized by gratitude but not with disgraceful, immoral, shameful, depraving, degrading talk. The word here for foolish talk actually means moronic talk, stupid speech, obscenities of all kinds, coarse jesting, turning everything into an innuendo, double entendre, sexual humor. You say, well it's not that big a deal.

With God it is a big deal. Because Jesus said, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. And so in our mind, the way we think, it affects the way we talk and certainly the way that we live. It is clear to me when people come to faith in Jesus and begin living for the Lord Jesus Christ, He begins to clean out and clean up our lives and that includes the way we speak. We're to live pure lives in a polluted world.

So how? I want us to take the word pure, p-u-r-e, and with it and with this word from God, let's see how we can be pure today. Knowing that God has commanded it, knowing that it is a battle we all face every day all of our lives, how can we maintain moral purity? Number one, pursue godliness, p, pursue godliness. Verse one, be imitators of God as His own dear children.

The word there is mimic. It is to mimic and measure your own life by your Father, like Father, like child. And of all the things we can say of God, His primary attribute is His holiness. First Peter 1, 15 through 16 says, but just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all that you do for it is written, be holy because I am holy. The way we maintain moral purity as believers and followers of Jesus is to pursue holiness of which the Bible says without holiness, no man will see God.

Now just a brief theological truth right here. We are holy in Christ, we have received His righteousness positionally by what Christ has done for us, we have received His righteousness and then the rest of our days until we get to heaven should be the pursuit of that holiness and righteousness, the fulfillment of who we are in Christ. We are called, according to Ephesians 4 and verse 1, to walk worthy, to walk worthy of our calling in the Lord Jesus Christ. The goal of our lives, the holy ambitions of our hearts should be to live more and more like Jesus, to look more and more like Him, our Heavenly Father. One day we will see Christ face to face, 1 John 3 tells us that one day we will be like Him for we will see Him as He is. And until then, on our way to heaven, we're to walk in righteousness, holiness, goodness, and in truth.

Now of course, this is impossible in our own strength. So God has given us the Spirit and His name is the Holy Spirit. God has given us His holiness, His Holy Spirit and we can live with the strength that Christ gives us. Back in Ephesians chapter 3, we learned of this power that we have in Christ. Verse 16 of chapter 3 of Ephesians, that He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being. You have the power because you have the Spirit.

Don't say you are a helpless victim of some temptation of any kind, and certainly the sexual kind. Don't say that you are helpless because you are not the Helper, the Holy Spirit lives in you. And that is why the Scripture goes on to say in verse 19, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. The fullness of the Father, the seed of God and His holiness is in us. And our lives are therefore to be lived in pursuit of Him. Pursuing godliness is the call of every Christian. I'm going to say it again, pursuing God, pursuing godliness, holiness, righteousness, purity is the pursuit of every Christian.

I don't know about you, but that deeply humbles me. Unfortunately, some people, even believers, think negatively about the whole idea of holiness. I don't want to be a holy Joe.

I don't want to be that guy. I don't want to be that girl, too righteous, too self-righteous. Well the fact is, we don't pursue self-righteousness.

That creates pride. But when we pursue God and His holiness, it produces humility because I know and you know we have a long way to go, don't we? It's a lifetime journey and it's the pursuit of our hearts. Avoid temptation and feeding the flesh. Romans 13 and verse 14 says, rather clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ that is put on Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. We say starve the flesh and feed the spirit.

Starve the flesh and feed the spirit. And the more you pursue God, the stronger you will become. Every time you say yes to God, His will, His way, you strengthen yourself against temptation to sin. Every time you say yes and do the right thing to God, it enables you to build spiritual muscle. Faith is like a muscle that must be exercised and every time you exercise your faith and believe God and trust God to live a pure life, it strengthens you morally and the moral core of your being and the character of your life is strengthened each day. Purity begins with the priority of seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things then that we need to satisfy us will be added unto us.

This is how you live as a victor, not a victim concerning moral behavior. You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and today's message, a pure walk in a polluted world. When you feel like you're being tossed by waves of doubt, fear or confusion, the only way to stay afloat is by focusing on your true source of hope, Jesus Christ. Pastor Graham wants to help you experience that hope in all of life circumstances with his book of meditations on Romans 8 called A Hope and a Future.

You'll discover how God gives you perspective, protection, purpose and power to keep you from sinking in life storms. A Hope and a Future is our thanks for your gift today to help boldly proclaim the truth of the gospel and the hope it brings to more people around the world and as thanks for your gift of $50 or more, we'll also send you Pastor Graham's book, Help, Hope and Healing for Life's Challenges. So call now to request your resources and thank you for your generosity. Call 1-800-795-4627, that's 1-800-795-4627.

You can also text the word PowerPoint to 313131, text PowerPoint to 313131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our e-store, give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional. Our website again is JackGraham.org. Pastor, what is your PowerPoint for today? One of the best parts of my job is hearing from listeners just like you. Just imagine how encouraging it is to hear a flood of stories of God moving powerfully in countless lives.

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That's 1-800-795-4627. You can also text the word PowerPoint to 313131. On the next PowerPoint, Dr. Graham brings a message about the steps you can take to live purely in our world. That's next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham. PowerPoint with Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint Ministries.