Purity in the Word

“The man of God exerts himself, but does not trust himself. . . . He knows that even his whole strength is not enough to keep him right unless his King shall be his keeper, and he who made the commands shall make him constant in obeying them.” Charles Spurgeon, Treasury of David

Romans 7:7–25 (ESV)

What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

B. From Wandering (Psalm 119:10)

“The psalmist knew that it is easier to make a promise to God than to keep it.” Danny Akin

How can a young man keep his way pure - verse 14, focused on Christ....”I am the Way....”, in the work of the Spirit who has come to continue the work of Christ.

John 14 (ESV)

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.

C. From Sinning (Psalm 119:11)

Spiritual discipline produces spiritual fruit.

store in heart ----> in order not to sin

“The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.” D. L. Moody

1 John 1:5–10 (ESV)

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1 John 3:4–8 (ESV)

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

What is opposite than the one who practices lawlessness?

The Blessed one “who walk[s] in the law of the LORD” (Psalm 119:1)

II. Living the Word (Psalm 119:12-16)

A. Doctrine (Psalm 119:12-13)

Blessed is the one...(Psalm 119:1) ---- Blessed are you [Lord] (Psalm 119:12)

Blessed is the one who first recognizes the blessedness of God.

Happy/joyful is the one who praises God.

“the teachable spirit begins with proper regard for God”

The understanding of purity is found in right truth and right affection. Holiness is not merely acting right, but also believing right.

Teach me (Psalm 119:12) that I might speak truth of you (Psalm 119:13) which will lead me to delight in you (Psalm 119:14-16)

Practical application of understanding is to see that proclamation of God’s word (the Gospel) actually not just of benefit for the hearer but a joy producing task for the proclaimer as well.

Illustration: Runners high...sharing about the joys of God is a joyous adrenaline shot for a weary, weak, or wandering soul.

B. Devotion (Psalm 119:14-16)

Illustration: Imagine today all your debt is wiped away....imagine you have no more payments on your house, car, medical...How much joy would that bring to your life....Think for a moment about the disposable income you would have with no debt, payments, money is not an issue......Does your joy in the Lord surpass the feeling of freedom, relief, and joy that you have in just thinking about financial freedom?

We prize what is valuable to us...we delight in it...we talk about it....we spend our time associated with it.

“The words of God are not just kept in writing for the psalmist to consult outside of himself. They are kept for his consulting inside of him—in his heart.” John Piper

Philippians 4:4-9 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

“He who has an inward delight in anything will not long withdraw his mind from it. As a [hoarder] often returns to look upon his treasure, so does the devout believer by frequent meditation turn over the priceless wealth which he has discovered in the book of the Lord. To some men meditation is a task; to the man of cleansed way it is a joy.” Charles Spurgeon, Treasury of David

Delight is first sparked by meditation and meditation is first sparked by treasuring.

Any notion of relationship (Marriage, friendship, etc) only works in love if you KNOW (Doctrine) and SHOW (Devotion).

You will find it hard to love something you do not know.

You will find it hard to know something you do not love.

You will also convince no one that you love something if you don’t devote time or effort toward it.

A true devotion displays love, holds fast to that love, and works on that love - even when it is difficult.

Application

Will you leave today with the confidence of who you are in Jesus?

Will you leave today with a desire to grow in holiness?

Will you leave today treasuring God’s Word?

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