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Our society which once prohibited sexual immorality has now reached a stage where keeping a control on it is becoming difficult.
We find this tendency the most in teenagers due to hormonal changes in them.
However, God has made it clear that he wants us all to let the natural sexual desires remain dormant until they can be expressed within the marriage relationship.
In the Bible the term "Purity" is most often conferring to sexual purity, but it is also used to refer to being free from contamination by worldliness.
Just as contaminated water is undrinkable, contaminated heart is unacceptable to God.
Let's see some of the ways we can be impure.
1. Lustful thoughts fantacies and the "Second Look"
2. Watching movies or T.V. shows with sexually explicit scenes and themes.
3. Reading pronographic magazines or visiting pornographic sites on the internet.
4. Listening to or telling dirty jokes.
5. Flirting (desiring attention from the opposite sex and acting or speaking in such a way as to get it)
6. Sexual immorality (homosexuality, petting each other's private parts)
7. Masturbation
This study will help you to have God like convictions about purity of heart and lets watch out as any contamination & poison by the world will damage your soul.
Lets see how we can strive in purity.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-8
3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;
4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable,
5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God;
6 and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you.
7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
God called us to live a holy life we need to have a control on our desires. If we don't we hurt God, ourselves & someone else involved in it.
2 Timothy 2:22
Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
The urge to explore thing on our own would be dangerous thus we need to channelise our curiousity through right channels to get it satisfied.
We need to flee (desperately runaway) from the evil desires of the youth.
Ephesians 5:3-5
3 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.
4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
5 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.
No greed, coarse joking, foolish talk, obscencty not even a hint is permissible. Not at the cost of losing your inheritance in the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
Having bad motives for coming to church eg. for getting married, money, gaining a name & fame ask yourself why did you come to church ? Confess it and repent!
1 Corinthians 6:19
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
We are called to be God's temple & thus have no right to make it dirty. In order to remove the dirt you got to confess daily.
James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
Now you wonder what shall I confess. Well anything that contaminates your body & your soul, things that bother you or
make feel guilty need to be confesed.
2 Corinthians 7:1
Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
Some practical applications.
Psalm 119:9
How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.
Remember that when you are tempted, the word of God will help you to resist sin.
Memorise scriptures about purity / impurity to have it at the back of our mind when you are tempted.
Take advice about going together in groups for movies, dates parties etc.
Keep yourself busy pursuing your hobbies, reading bible, good books.
Make a radical decision to change today, now remember Mathew 5:8 always !
Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
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