People of the Word
Lesson 14
Moral Purity
Proverbs 5, 6, 7
Why the Resistance?
2 Timothy 3:12: In fact, everyone who wants to
live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be
persecuted.
John 3:19: This is the verdict: Light has come into
the world, but men loved darkness instead of light
because their deeds were evil.
Ephesians 5:13: But everything exposed by the
light becomes visible
Why Be Moral & Pure?
Leviticus 11:44: I am the LORD
your God; consecrate yourselves
and be holy, because I am holy.
The Holy Call
1 Thessalonians 4:7: For God did not call us to be
impure, but to live a holy life.
Ephesians 1:4: For he chose us in him before the
creation of the world to be holy and blameless in
his sight.
The Holy Truth
Psalm 12:6: And the words of the LORD are
flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay,
purified seven times.
James 3:17: But the wisdom that comes from
heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving,
considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good
fruit, impartial and sincere.
Jesus Makes You Holy
John 17:19: For them I sanctify myself, that they too
may be truly sanctified.
Titus 2: For the grace of God that brings salvation has
appeared to all men. While we wait for the blessed
hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and
Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem
us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people
that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
God Does Hate
Haughty Eyes
Lying Tongue
Hands that shed innocent blood
A heart that devises wicked schemes
Feet that are quick to rush into evil
A false witness who pours out lies
A man who stirs up dissension among brothers
The Road to Immorality
James 1:13-16: When tempted, no one should
say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be
tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but
each one is tempted when, by his own evil
desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then,
after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;
and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to
death. Don't be deceived, my dear brothers.
The Road to Immorality
James 1:13-16: When tempted, no one should
say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be
tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but
each one is tempted when, by his own evil
desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then,
after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;
and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to
death. Don't be deceived, my dear brothers.
David’s Road to Immorality
2 Samuel 11
Temptation; away from where he should be – Verses 1 & 2
Enticed; Sin Conceived – Verse 2
Birth – Verse 4
Deaths – Verse 24; 12:19
The Beginning of the End
Matthew 5:29-30
Matthew 18:8-9
Temptation – eye
Location – hands and feet
Proverbs 20:9: Who can say, “I have kept my
heart pure; I am clean and without sin”?
Proverbs 16:2: All a man's ways seem innocent to
him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
Truth And Consequences
Proverbs 5:21: For a man’s ways are in full view of the
Lord, and he examines all his paths.
Jeremiah 16:17: My eyes are on all their ways; they are
not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my
eyes.
Hebrews 4:13: Nothing in all creation is hidden from
God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before
the eyes of him to whom we must give account
1 Peter 3:12b: but the face of the Lord is against those
who do evil.
The Consequences of Immorality
Psalm 38:3: Because of your wrath there is no health in my
body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin.
Psalm 38:18: I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.
Psalm 51:3: For I know my transgressions, and my sin is
always before me.
Isaiah 30:13: this sin will become for you like a high wall,
cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly, in an instant.
The Consequences of Immorality
Ezekiel 18:24a: “But if a righteous man turns from his
righteousness and commits sin and does the same
detestable things the wicked man does, will he live?
None of the righteous things he has done will be
remembered.”
Numbers 14:18: ‘The LORD is slow to anger,
abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet
he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes
the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and
fourth generation.’
The Consequences of Immorality
Ezekiel 18:24a: “But if a righteous man turns from his
righteousness and commits sin and does the same
detestable things the wicked man does, will he live?
None of the righteous things he has done will be
remembered.”
Numbers 14:18: ‘The LORD is slow to anger,
abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet
he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes
the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and
fourth generation.’
Recovery From Immorality
1 Peter 4:3-6: For you have spent enough time in the
past doing what pagans choose to do—living in
debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and
detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not
plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and
they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give
account to him who is ready to judge the living and the
dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached
even to those who are now dead, so that they might be
judged according to men in regard to the body, but live
according to God in regard to the spirit.
Recovery From Immorality
Hebrews 2:18: Because he himself suffered when he was
tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Hebrews 4:15-16: For we do not have a high priest who is
unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one
who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was
without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with
confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to
help us in our time of need.
Philippians 1:6: being confident of this, that he who began a
good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day
of Christ Jesus.
Defense & Responsibility
Philippians 4:8: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever
is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or
praiseworthy—think about such things.
Romans 12:1-2: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of
God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy
and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but
be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will
be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good,
pleasing and perfect will.
The Best Defense is a Good Offense
Romans 6:12: “Do not let”
Ephesians 5:1-5: “There must not be even a hint”
Ephesians 5:11: “Have nothing to do”
Philippians 1:27: “Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the
gospel of Christ”
Colossians 3:3: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your
earthly nature”
Colossians 3:8: “You must rid yourselves of all such things”
2 Timothy 2:22: “Flee the evil desires of your youth”
Hebrews 12:12: “Strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees;
make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy”
1 Peter 1:13: “Prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled”
1 Peter 2:11: “Abstain from sinful desires”
Our Responsibility
Titus 2:1-8: You must teach what is in accord with sound
doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect,
self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.
Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they
live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach
what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love
their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be
busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so
that no one will malign the word of God. Similarly, encourage
the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an
example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity,
seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned,
so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have
nothing bad to say about us.
Types of Love
Types
Level of Intimacy
Stage of
Sanctification
Eros
Low or None
Beginning
Phileo
Moderate
Medium
Agape
Highest
Highest
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
4: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy,
it does not boast, it is not proud.
5: It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not
easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6: Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with
the truth.
7: It always protects, always trusts, always
hopes, always perseveres.
8: Love never fails.
It All Starts With God
1 Peter 1:13-16: Therefore, prepare your minds for
action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the
grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil
desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just
as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;
for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
1 Thessalonians 5:23a: May God himself, the God of
peace, sanctify you through and through.
It All Starts With God
1 Corinthians 10:13: No temptation has seized you
except what is common to man. And God is faithful;
he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can
bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a
way out so that you can stand up under it.
Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me.
The Right Road
Isaiah 35:8: And a highway will be there [the
glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God]; it
will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean
will not journey on it; it will be for those who
walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go
about on it.