Sin lies to us. It’s like the drug pusher that says to us, “This won’t cost anything. It will you feel amazing…” However, It leaves us empty and maybe dead. Sexual sin seems harmless. It’s promoted everywhere. It’s healthy they say. But there is nothing else on earth with the power to create so much good and so much harm. Every person on earth, with all of their beauty, exists because of sex. However, it’s also true to say that the most painful situations in life are nearly all caused by the misuse of sex.
The cost of impurity
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” (Matthew 5:27-30)
If you are married, your marriage will be weakened. If you give your eyes to impure images and your hearts to impure meditations; your passion for your spouse will be lost. Your marriage may be destroyed because a look, moves to the heart and to action. You will lose the respect of your spouse. as they see the way you look and flirt.
If you are single, lustful looking and using pornography will seriously damage your relationships. If you are looking for a marriage partner, you will find it harder to make a commitment because no-one lives up to the ideal standards that are portrayed.
Our relationship with God is damaged. Jesus’ words make it clear that God is angry when we abuse people with our eyes. You can expect His discipline. If this doesn’t move you, you may not be a Christian, and, as is promised here, you will go to hell.
Society at large is damaged by impurity. In an article from ‘Fight the new drug’ entitled, Does Porn Really Decrease Rates Of Sexual Assault? we read,
‘Many Studies Show a Link Between Porn and Increased Sexual Violence. I have studied how to end sexual violence for 25 years. It wasn’t until 10 years ago when I came to the realisation that the secret ingredient in the recipe for rape was not secret at all, though at the time it was rarely identified. That ingredient, responsible for giving young men the permission-giving beliefs that make rape so much more likely and telling young women they should like it, is today’s high speed Internet pornography. Pornography itself is a recipe for rape that has rewritten the sexual script for the sexual behaviour of the millennial generation and is currently rewiring the brains of the generation to follow… half of boys have seen hardcore pornography before they become teenagers. Does this viewing impact behaviour? The weight of the scientific evidence offers a convincing response: Yes.”
Here is a helpful overview video of this topic
We are in a culture of excess. We are beginning to notice how uncontrolled intake of bad foods and drinks and high sugar are addictive and very damaging. We need to realise that exposing ourselves to impure looking is also damaging. Nearly every show on your streaming service, is super high in damaging images and philosophies of relationships.
RESPONSE
Are you taking this issue seriously? Do you think it a light thing to look lustfully at someone who isn’t your spouse? Do you truly believe that it is costly to indulge in impure looking? Have you, like Job, said,
“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.” (Job 31:1)
The application of this week’s devotionals is that we all have close friends (we call these Running Partners at CCP) with whom we can share, pray and receive support. To start a running partnership, go to,
COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY - PURITY IS COSTLY
Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
Suggested opener/Ice-breaker
What is the most beautiful thing you've ever seen and why do you think this?
On Sunday we continued our 'Sent' discipleship series by looking at Jesus' teaching regarding adultery and sexual purity.
You have to agree that our culture is very confused and confusing regarding sexual ethics. The things we are encouraged to watch are saturated with sexually explicit imagery; whilst this is so, we are also told to respect and not objectify one another!
It's important that we understand Jesus' teaching on sexual purity and that we help to teach others where we can, particularly if we are parents.
Jesus taught,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” (Matthew 5:27-30)
i) Impurity is costly
Firstly, Jesus is teaching that the command not to commit adultery - to be faithful to our spouse - is still in place. We are to do the costly work of doing all that we can to build healthy marriages.
Secondly, Impurit is costly in a number of ways:
i) Your marriage will be weakened
ii) You will lose the respect of your spouse
iii) It damages our relationship with God. He is angry with our sin - it grieves the Holy Spirit and we will receive His discipline.
iv) If you are single, it will damage your ability to make a commitment to someone and it pollutes your friendships.
v) Impurity costs a broken society - Impurity leads to ever increasing harassment and sexually deviant behaviour.
vi) It will send us to hell if we are unrepentant - impurity can reveal that we are not really a Christian.
ii) Purity is costly
Jesus' words about losing a hand or eye reveal that purity will be costly to us.
To have sexually pure relationships is not easy. You will be fighting against the tide of culture, the flesh and the devil. However, Purity is precious and so is worth the hard work.
i) You’ll be mocked - It’s costly to keep because your friends may mock you for still being a virgin and for believing in no sex before marriage.
ii) Breaking an addiction is hard - Purity is costly because impurity is addictive.
iii) You lose what you like - Purity is costly, it’s like cutting off what is valuable.
iv) Purity is costly in that it takes time and effort to invest in your marriage or friendships.
iv) However, purity is costly because it is precious. It comes with eternal worth and gain. Every area of your life will be blessed through purity. And it comes with the great promise,
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8)