I will pursue a life of whole-heart, whole-mind, whole-body purity.
Verse
Psalm 86:11 NLT
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
that I may live according to your truth!
Grant me purity of heart,
so that I may honor you.
Hebrews 13:4 NLT
Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage.
God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.
Father God, thank you for teaching us your ways and showing us how to live according to your truth. Thank you for granting us purity of heart, so that we may honor you.
God, work in our hearts to give us a desire to honor you in every way.
Lord, please give us purity of heart and a commitment to honor you, whether we are single or married.
Give us insight and wisdom and determination, so that we can be faithful in our marriages.
God protect us from distraction and temptation that will be detrimental to our pursuit of whole-life purity. In the Strong Name of Jesus, Amen.
Would you agree that “purity” is a buzz word in Christian circles? It is almost like a dirty word when it really should be a principle that graces our thoughts and infuses every part of our lives.
Would you also agree that there’s a kind of purity bandwagon, where the policy is “don’t talk, don’t tell, don’t do”? Is that how you were raised? Is that the pattern of communication you feel like you’re stuck in today?
Or do you feel hit with condemnation, since your journey was anything but pure? I got over that kind of burden a long, long time ago — but I still remember it well.
Do you feel nervous about how to instill purity in your tween and teenage sons and daughters, wondering if it is hypocritical to say, “don’t do this, even though I did”? Or maybe you fear that talking about purity, and defining what is not, will plant ideas and lead to a kind of purity rebellion?
Friend, I’ve come to learn after all these years in mentoring tweens and teens, and moving through my own journey of healing, that talking about purity doesn’t make one more pure or less pure.
The pursuit of purity is something each of us needs to own before God.
Purity, at its core, is really about honoring the Lord with our mind, body, and soul.
It’s not about a set of rules. It’s not about being better than that person over there, even though that’s the mockery purity has become in our culture. Did you know there’s a test to assess your purity? Oh yes, college students use the Rice Purity Test for bragging rights. I warn you, don’t look at it. You’ll end up sick and heartbroken. The test gives a numerical score based on how you answer the questions. Those who want to tout their purity boast about a high score, while those who feel it’s cooler to be on the rebellious side of things brag about their low score. But when did purity become about a number?
Purity is about so much more than simply keeping your pants on until you’re married. I know, crass, but true. We have pigeonholed purity into mantras that neglect to see the essence of whole life purity.
Pursuing purity isn’t just about not having sex outside of marriage.
It’s about the way we are interacting with others, whether we are single or married.
Purity is the pursuit of holiness as a child of God.
And purity is as much about what you take in through your eyes and ears as what you do with your body. It’s about what you expose your heart and mind and soul to each and every day.
If purity is about honoring God, then that’s not something we need to make up rules about. He’s already given us everything we need to know about how to honor Him through His Word. There’s no need to come up with a new set of terms. Rather, it’s about digging deeper into our relationship with God through faith in Jesus, inviting the Holy Spirit to lead us into whole-life, whole-mind, whole-body purity.
What is God speaking to your heart about your own purity? How about tackling the topic with the tweens and teens in your life? Maybe it’s worthing looking at this helpful perspective and download.
To continue this journey of living brave and inviting the next generation to join you in the journey, get a copy of Brave Together: A Conversation Starter for Cultivating Biblical Mentoring Relationships.
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