Pure Christians

Introduction

-There are some topics we don’t like talking about and wish the preacher wouldn’t bring them up. Anything pertaining to politics, money, sex, and the like are taboo topics. Just ignore it and the problems go away. Here’s the reality, either Scripture and Christianity impacts every aspect of our lives or it doesn’t. Either God wants us to be like Jesus in every way or He doesn’t. Jesus becomes the dividing line where we either transform into godliness or walk away.

There are so many voices battling for superiority. Some of the plethora of voices in our society: media, news, movies, music, videos, etc. It’s really a double-edged sword. On the one hand, we have unlimited resources at our fingertips to learn and grow and challenge ourselves. On the other, we could unknowingly be influenced by our culture to walk away from Christ. I know that sounds like two extremes but even Jesus put up two sides: you’re either for Him or against Him.

Either the things we watch and listen to are drawing closer to Christ or they are infecting us with doubts and a sinful way of living that take us away from Him. What are we being influenced by?

Everything in Scripture is there for a reason. We don’t want to shy away from hard conversations because our culture doesn’t. If God has something to say we need to hear about it, no matter how difficult it is to be challenged in our way of life. If we claim to be Christians then let’s step out of our comfort zones to be drawn closer to Christ. Are we going to be Culture Christians or Pure Christians?

I. A Call to Purity (5:1-13)

A. v. 1-2: Not even pagans were doing some of the things those Christians were doing. A man had his father’s wife… EW! We ask ourselves, “How could they not know that’s a problem and gross?” Keep in mind that the primary pagan goddess in Corinth was called “Aphrodite”, the goddess of beauty, love, and intimacy. In fact, atop the hill Acrocorinth sat a temple in her honor in which people would go there to worship her through intimate, physical means. It was a common practice that the newfound Christians would have been familiar with and even numb to. So, a Christian taking his father’s wife was not too far of a jump for some.

Paul spoke up and called it out for what it was, unspeakable, arrogant, and immoral. Christians have been called out of the perversions of the world into a life of purity. Yet, the Corinthians were proud and bragged about their inclusion. But Paul called it immoral and commanded them to remove the man who committed such atrocities.

We think, “How could they not know how horrible that is? It’s just gross and wrong.” What have we Christians in 21st century America grown numb to? Porn is more popular now more than ever and kids get exposed to it at 11. Speaking of kids, we allow sex-education to be taught at schools. Our nation legalizes homosexuality. We have grown complacent with pre-marital sex and call it “cohabitating.” We don’t call it “adultery” it’s cheating and sometimes it’s justified because of the rough situation we’re in.

Let’s be clear about something. God created sex and He made it beautiful in the right context. He made intimacy to be enjoyed between a husband and a wife exclusively for life. Genesis 2:24–25 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” Jesus affirms that this was always the intention and it is wonderful when we do things according to God’s design: Matthew 19:5–6 “and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”” It might be awkward and we want to avoid this topic but God has a strong voice on it and we need to echo His call.

Our culture is pushing sexuality in various ways: drag queens, identifying as someone from the opposite sex, transgender operations, gay relationships in movies and shows. Do we want our kids and ourselves to get their understanding of physicality from our government, other kids, and Hollywood or do we want our parents and the Bible to show us what is best? We have done a disservice to ourselves by not talking about what God has revealed regarding a beautiful thing meant for the sanctity of marriage.

B. God has voiced what He thinks about immorality: it’s destructive and must be rejected and abandoned (v. 3-5). Those are harsh words: judgment, handing over to Satan, destruction of the flesh. We feel that’s an extreme reaction to something that doesn’t seem to be that big of a deal. “Let people express their beauty and their love. It’s free love, right?”

Why is Paul and God treating this as such a huge problem? Sin is infectious, like a cancer. The tumor must be cut out if you want to save life. If you don’t think these outlets for pleasure are that big of a problem then ask David how adultery with Bathsheba went for him. Ask Solomon about the division of his house with 700 wives and 300 concubines. Ask Abraham about the tension in his household when he took Hagar as a wife in addition to Sarah and had a child through her. Ask Hosea how it felt to marry a prostitute who left him for another man and then was brought home, trying to heal a broken marriage. Ask Sodom and Gomorrah about the cost of perversion. Ask the Benjamites about the price of abusing a Levite’s concubine, nearly being wiped out as a result. Ask Samson if it was a blessing to sleep around and end up with both eyes plucked out and a loss of strength.

Do you ever think that God puts certain limitations on things for our own good? That He has mandated sex be between one man and one woman for life to protect us? When we do things God’s way we end up with blessings and true joy.

I want us to reframe something heavy and scary and limiting to freedom. We think we have to focus on the sin to extradite it or we need to be afraid of God or just God doesn’t get it. God’s commands are rooted in love and result in freedom. Don’t focus on the sin, focus on the Christ (1 Corinthians 6:14-20). Intimacy is a precious unity and oneness, be careful how, when, and with whom you give it to. Every other sin a man commits outside his body this is one that affects the very core of yourself.

As a Christian you have been bonded with Christ in a special way. His Spirit lives within you, you have been bought with a price. Your soul, your body, your life has been bought out of sin into freedom. Don’t think of God’s call to purity as a limitation and burden. Think of it as power and liberty. He raised up Jesus and He raises us up, He gives us His Spirit to endure and overcome. Therefore, glorify God with your body because He glorifies you through the risen body of Jesus.

Remember the story of Joseph? He was tempted with Potiphar’s wife and rejected it, saying he would not sin against God. But then he was thrown in prison! God brought him out and used him to save a nation and the world from a famine. It’s hard to keep on the right path but God blesses and protects those who honor Him with purity and integrity. Genesis 39:6–9 “So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?””

The whole point of this purity talk is for the salvation of souls. v. 5, “that his spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” You are not deplorable and unforgivable if you have practiced immorality. There is room for grace and we want you to embrace it and forsake the sin. Jesus told the woman caught in adultery, John 8:11 “She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”” God calls us to purity and gives us the power to be pure.

The sin is judged by God and is called immoral and should be removed because of what it does to people. The person is removed from the congregation when they refuse to repent, turn away from that sin that corrupts and return to Christ. The separation from the body of Christ is meant to be a wakeup call because blessings of God through Christ are meant to be found in the church. When someone is removed from the fellowship it shows the reality that there is a major problem. Plus, we cannot allow the sin to spread throughout the rest of the body. Excommunication is not mean and judgmental, it’s meant to be the last resort when a Christian refuses to repent and is the catalyst of reconciling with God.

C. v. 6-8: Paul gives a beautiful picture. Let’s not be corrupted. Leaven invades and permeates the whole lump of dough so it grows uncontrollably. God wants us to be pure, free from wickedness and malice. You are made new, free from those things in Christ. Why unleavened bread? The Last Supper provides the memorial for Christians, the purity and perfection of Christ makes Him the perfect sacrifice to bring cleansing to sinners. We are made new in Jesus. Don’t go back to the ways of the world, instead, pursue Christ in sincerity and truth

Illus. 100% pure water is polluted by 1 drop of arsenic. Jesus cleanses us by removing the poison and makes us pure again. Don’t pollute yourself with sin any longer, pursue Jesus with a pure motive and in truth.

D. v. 9-13: The mandate Paul gives for unrepentant sin in the church is as follows: remove him from the fellowship. Don’t judge nonChristians, we expect them to act like the world. God has given us a higher calling and the presence of His Spirit within us. We have been freed from the corruption of the world, let’s walk in the light of Christ. Let’s influence the world for Christ by our purity and the tow the line where God has made it.

In other words, spend time with the people who will grow you in Christ. The best thing for you and for others is to cut off the excess weight that’s bearing you down so you can glorify God.

II. Purity in Action

A. Flee Immorality (do what you need to so you aren’t near where the temptation strikes. For porn, don’t keep your phone in your bedroom, get a dumb phone, get rid of your internet, etc. Pull a Joseph and run. Make a covenant with your eyes to not look lustfully after a woman like Job.

B. Pray for God’s help (power of the risen Lord in you)

C. Pursue Christ in sincerity and truth (what you take in through the eyes is what you think about and its what you become)

D. Fellowship with like-minded Christians (get different friends)