Purity

The thoughts and words written here are taken here explicitly from Disciplines of a Godly Man by R. Kent Hughes. He wrote a beautiful chapter on purity, and I thought it needed to be shared. It applies more to men, but women can take something from this as well, I hope. I took quotes from the chapter and inserted some of my own thoughts to season it up a little bit. Hope you are challenged and encouraged.

We live in a culture that sweats sensuality from its pores. In 1988, Leadership Magazine and Christianity Today polled their readers (likely college-educated church leaders, elders, deacons, Sunday school teachers and directors) and found that 1 of 8 pastors had committed adultery while in the ministry and 1 of 4 non-ministers had committed adultery. I can only imagine what the number is today some 22 years later.

Sensuality is one of the biggest obstacles to godliness in our day (and throughout all of history). David was a man after God’s own heart and was the mighty hero-leader of God’s people, but found himself far from the heart of God for a time in his life. If you do not know the story of David and Bathsheba, check out 2 Samuel 11. Hughes points out a few steps that led to his fall.

Desensitization – David had taken many wives, which was a sin against the commands of God in Deuteronomy 17. David had allowed a progressive desensitization to sin and a consequent inner descent from holiness take root in his life. David’s collection of wives, though it was ‘legal’ and not considered adultery in the culture of the day, was nevertheless sin. King David’s sensual indulgence desensitized him to God’s holy call in his life, as well as to the danger and consequences of falling. David’s embrace of socially permitted sensuality desensitized him to God’s call and made him easy prey for the fatal sin of his life. Men it is the ‘legal’ sensualities, the culturally acceptable indulgences, which will take us down. The long hours of indiscriminate TV watching and the expected male talk filled with double entendre and course humor are lurking culprits of desensitization.

Relaxation – David had taken relaxation from the rigors and discipline which had been apart of his active life. He was at midlife and had military prowess checked off the list. His relaxation extended to his moral life and left him vulnerable. Men, when we do not have a mission or explicit purpose to our lives (and our individual days) then we fall prey to the enemy’s schemes. Just when we think we are the safest, when we feel no need to keep our guard up, to work on our inner integrity, to discipline ourselves for godliness—temptation will come!

Fixation – David found himself in tough spot on the roof of the palace – catching a glance of a beautiful woman bathing. But his glance did not stay a glance, and he allowed himself to linger. He should have retired to his chamber, but he did not. Dietrich Bonhoeffer made the observation that when lust takes control, “At this moment God…loses all reality. …Satan does not fill us with hatred of God, but with forgetfulness of God.” David had allowed God to fade from the bright hues he once saw him in to a blurred image of an old sepia photograph.

Rationalization – When David had taken the next step to wards adultery, one of his servants tried to dissuade him, but David would not be rebuffed. Some massive rationalization took place in David’s mind. The mind controlled by lust has an infinite capacity for rationalization.

Degeneration (Adultery, Lies, Murder) – David’s progressive desensitization, relaxation, fixation, and rationalization set him up for one of the greatest falls in history—and his degeneration. One night led to birth of a child out of wedlock, lies to cover this up, deception, murder and subsequent consequences for generations. Men, we must understand that David would never have given more than a fleeting glance to Bathsheba if he could have seen the shattering results. I believe with all my heart that few, if any, would ever stray from God’s Word if they could see what would follow. The will of God for our lives is purity. Why?

“Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy”     - Leviticus 19:2

The Biblical command on our lives for purity, holiness and righteousness is explicit, necessary, and for our good. Some beautiful Scriptures that deal with this are: 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, Job 31:1, Proverbs 6:27, Mark 9:42, Ephesians 5:3-7 and 2 Timothy 2:22.

Hughes offers a number of ways to ‘train yourself to be Godly’ (1 Timothy 4:7) and to put out some ‘holy sweat.’ Accountability with other men who understand your sensuality from the inside out, whom you can be completely honest with, and with whom you can be sharpened by. Prayer for the purity of your friends as well as enlisting them to pray for you. Memorization of God’s Word – The psalmist said, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word” (119:9). And, “I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You” (119:11). The discipline of the mind is important. Men, it is impossible for you to maintain a pure mind if you are television-watching ‘couch potato.’ Hughes also encourages placing hedges in your life to protect against temptations and attacks.

Hughes ends the chapter by exampling Joseph and Potiphar’s wife. When tempted with her, Joseph was divinely aware of the presence of God. “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” –and he fled.

“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” (2 Timothy 2:22)

In order not to become part of the negative statistics, and more importantly to honor and please our Father by obedience to His word, will we seek holiness in the area of purity? Will we be willing to put out some disciplined sweat? Are we men enough? Are we men of God?