Posted: 1/03/05

LifeWay Family Bible Series for Jan. 9

Purity is difficult, but it also is required

Romans 11:33-12:2, 1 Corinthians 6:9-20

By Leroy Fenton

Baptist Standard, Dallas

Would you like another word for “temptation”? Try “pleasure.”

Like so many other things in life, some pleasure is wonderful and too much is tragic. The heart of Scripture is to find that balance of enjoying your body but not abusing it with excesses that become impure and hostile to your good and to your community.

Sexual desires and pleasure are creations of God, while pornography, fornication and adultery are contradictory excesses. Marriage between a man and a woman is a creation of God, while homosexual practice is an unnatural negation. What God intended for good, nature maligns and individuals ruin. Humanity has sinned, missed the mark of God's calling to purity, righteousness and love. Purity is the godly management of desires and needs.

The basic approach to ethics today is one of self-centeredness–each individual setting his/her own standard of morality. Everything is OK if I say so, and no one can tell me what is right or wrong. This kind of individualistic philosophy binds us to continued fiasco, a more ungodly and chaotic world and undermines the meaning and function of democracy.

As in the days of the Apostle Paul, our secular world is dumping upon our society “sexual impurity … the degrading of their bodies with one another … abandoning natural relationships … every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity … envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice … gossip, slanderers, God haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful … senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless” and “invent(ed) ways of doing evil”(Romans 1:24-27, 29-30).

Children, young people and adults constantly are inundated with images that arouse sexual desires through television, the Internet, magazines and books. These erotic visuals are powerful temptations that destroy lives and families.

Keep in mind we all are sinners and Christians also are guilty of such attitudes and actions. Christians must not only deal with their own carnality but swim upstream against the roaring rapids of peer pressure and a predominant secular morality. Foolish people follow these desires into the pits of self-degradation and broken relationships. Paul appeals to a changed life and a Christlike attitude to make a difference in our immoral world.

Exhortation to purity, or holy living, made little sense to Paul without first developing an infrastructure of doctrinal wisdom, a theological foundation or a system of beliefs. The secular world often will persecute Christians and their ideologies and teachings because their minds cannot understand the mysteries of faith, and they are pulled into the darkness of sin by their own carnal appetites (Romans 1:18-32). People who belong to God are to understand the biblical norm as revealed in Scripture and live up to it. Doctrine always comes before duty, and belief always before behavior.

Pure standards (Romans 12:1-2)

Referring back to his doctrinal foundation with “Therefore,” (v. 1) and his praise of God, “from him and through him and to him are all things,” (11:33-36), Paul begins his practical instructions with, “I urge you brothers” or “I beg you, please” (v. 1). The basis for his urgent exhortation is “God's mercy,” meaning salvation by being born again to eternal life (salvation, sanctification, glorification). Obedience to God in our behavior is motivated by God's mercy toward us.

Paul directs us to the two major forces of moral purity–mind and body. Both body and mind are to be sexually pure. Transformation of the person obligates the body and mind to godly living enabled by the spiritual energy of the Holy Spirit. The Christian is to put mind and body at the disposal of the saving Christ.

The term “offer” or “present” (v. 1) is the same concept used of the Old Testament sacrificial animal. “Body” refers to the physical body, and it is to be a “living sacrifice” (v. 1). As a “living sacrifice,” the Christian is to give God his or her eyes, his or her feet, his or her hands, his or her speech, his or her ears, his or her energy, his or her heart, his or her attitudes, his or her thoughts, his or her desires, his or her urges and his or her possessions these talents provided.

Holy living comes from the inside out with the conversion of one's reason or “renewing of your mind” (v. 2). Your “spiritual act of worship” occurs when this takes place and is “holy” and “pleasing” to God (vv. 1-2). This standard of commitment defines the body of Christ and the quality of the believer's priesthood. Conforming to the moral “pattern of this world” (v. 2) through impure living is a contradiction to the meaning of the gospel in one's life and weakens the power of its witness.

Pure change (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

You mean I don't have to be what I am! Of course not. People can change from being “wicked” (unrighteous) if they choose through the “renewing of your mind” in Christ Jesus. Christ is the hope for man's carnal nature. The mind and will, guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit, can control the body regardless of nature or environment (v. 12).

Paul defines the change that comes from being “washed … sanctified … justified” (v. 11), in moral terms. “Wicked” (v. 9) is exemplified, probably from his observation in Corinth, as “sexual immorality … idolaters … adulterers … male prostitutes … homosexual offenders … thieves … greedy … drunkards … slanders … swindlers” (vv. 9-10).

“Kingdom of God” (v. 9) is the future blessedness of heaven. Paul is not debating, “Can an immoral person be a believer?” or “Can a believer commit an immoral act?” but rather describing the rebellious “wicked” in contrast and opposition to the “washed … and justified” Christian.

A Christian is expected to live a consistently higher moral life because of his faith in and worship of God, who is holy and moral. Faith must not be divorced from ethics or religion from reality. Individuals are deceived when they assume God does not take his moral demands seriously (v. 9). None of these sins are unforgivable, and all people are in some way sinful.

God's grace is a powerful force that moves people from condemnation to salvation. Leave the eternal judgment up to the Father and be careful of your earthly judgment lest you be judged by that same standard (Matthew 7:1-2, John 8:7). Paul is uncompromising in his condemnation of immorality but loves the sinner with grace, yearning for salvation. God cannot allow sin into heaven. Forgiveness, through faith in Christ, removes guilt, establishes a Godlike lifestyle and gains heaven's portals. Some of the Corinthians had been delivered from bondage to their sinful, wicked spirit and lifestyle.

Pure ownership (1 Corinthians 6:13-20)

Paul provides astounding theological reasons for his nobler concept of sexuality: (1) “your bodies are members of Christ himself” (v. 15); (2) “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God” (v. 19) and (3) “you are not your own; you were bought at a price” (vv. 19-20).

No sexual sin can be justified because of the union of the believer with Christ. Christians cannot participate in sexual license without directly defiling and profaning the relationship with the Holy Spirit of God and perverting his own humanity (v. 18). Every behavior of the believer is subject to this spiritual bonding.

The body, neutral in essence, takes on a divine, dominant spiritual dimension. The “one flesh” concept of husband and wife in marriage (Genesis 2:24) is similar or the same as the believer who is “one” with Christ “in spirit” (v. 17). The believer and God permanently are united in this life and in the life to come. The reference to the resurrection can mean both: God, the “Lord of the body” (v. 13), who raised Christ from the dead, can raise up individuals from a lower immoral lifestyle (v. 14) and/or the body, saved for resurrection, should not engage in immoral sexual passion.

The body, the “temple of God,” is not for our use but for the Lord's because of the ransom price paid on Calvary's cross (v. 20). The Christian is to “flee from sexual immorality” (v. 18) which profanes God, disgraces the Body of Christ, wrecks the community, devalues the meaning of love and destroys human dignity. “Therefore, honor God with your body” (v. 20).

Discussion question

What can you do to safeguard against pleasure becoming a vice in your life?

Posted: 1/03/05

BaptistWay Bible Series for Jan. 9

Jesus chooses his disciples

Matthew 9:35-10:15

By Todd Still

Truett Seminary, Waco

Throughout the bulk of his Gospel, Matthew alternates between narration about Jesus (chapters 3-4, 8-9, 11-12, 14-17, 19-22) and instruction from Jesus (chapters 5-7, 10, 13, 18, 23-25). In this series of lessons, we are focusing upon the latter. Having devoted five sessions to the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), we will now spend two weeks studying Jesus' “Missionary Discourse” as recorded in chapter 10 of the first Gospel. This particular lesson covers 9:35-10:15.

Before examining Jesus' instruction to his 12 disciples whom he is sending out on mission (10:5-42), we need to consider the two sections immediately preceding–9:35-38 and 10:1-4. Verses 35-38 offer a summary of Jesus' ministry activity and serve as a suitable transition to his teaching that follows in chapter 10.

In verse 35, Matthew informs that Jesus circulated throughout Galilean towns and villages teaching, preaching and healing. This verse, along with the strikingly similar 4:23, frames chapters 5-9. Thereafter, in verse 36, Matthew reports that Jesus felt compassion for the crowds with whom he came into contact. This is a common reaction of Jesus throughout the Gospel (14:14; 15:32; 20:34).

To explain why Jesus responded to the crowds with compassion, Matthew employs a biblical figure of speech–sheep without a shepherd (Numbers 27:16-17; 1 Kings 22:17; Ezekiel 34:1-10; Zechariah 11:15). That there would be shepherd-less sheep among the people of Israel signals a failure on the part of the nation's spiritual leaders. It was into this perceived void of spiritual leadership that Jesus was stepping. Unlike so many of his religious contemporaries, Jesus would be a good and skillful shepherd. Indeed, he would even surrender his very life for his sheep (John 10:11).

Jesus was not desirous, however, of leading and laboring among the sheep alone. Recognizing the spiritual landscape was ripe unto harvest (a scriptural metaphor for both judgment and reward) and acknowledging the magnitude of the task was greater than the present workforce, Jesus urges his disciples to implore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest (v. 38). Jesus' summoning of the 12 disciples for service provides at least a partial answer to such prayer (10:1).

When we ask God to send people to take the gospel to the harassed and helpless, we should be willing all the while to say to the Lord with Isaiah of old, “Here am I; send me!” (Isaiah 6:8).

Before Jesus sends out the 12 on mission, he equips them spiritually by giving to them his authority to cast out demons and to heal diseases (v. 1). Matthew concludes his Gospel with Jesus' authoritative commission to the 11 (the 12 minus Judas) to make disciples of all nations by going, baptizing and teaching (28:18-20). Those who would minister in Jesus' name should seek divine empowerment to help people come to wholeness in Christ. Although created in the image of God, we are broken people who need to be reconciled to and renewed by God.

Regarding the listing of the 12 disciples found in verses 2-4, at least two points merit mention here. First, the number of disciples mirrors the number of Israelite tribes. By intentionally choosing 12 to minister with him and in his name, Jesus seems to be suggesting that in and through his person and mission, there will be both a restoration and reconfiguration of Israel.

Second, it is interesting to note in the stylized naming of the 12 in verses 2-4 that Peter, the group's leader, is mentioned first (16:16-20) and is immediately followed by Andrew, James and John (4:18-22), whereas Judas, the one who would betray Jesus (17:22; 26:14-16, 47-56), is not inappropriately placed last.

Jesus commences his instructions to the 12 by directing them to expend their missional efforts entirely upon “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (v. 6). Given that the vast majority of contemporary Christians are “Gentiles” and “Samaritans,” Jesus' marching orders to his disciples now seem out of step. But this was not always the case.

As a Jewish Messiah seeking to bring Israelite people back to God so they might be sent out on God's behalf, it seems both a necessary and prudent strategy that he and his disciples place their initial focus upon the people of Israel. Although Jesus grants his fellow Jews priority in his ministry, he does not categorically prohibit interaction with or inclusion of non-Jews in God's kingdom or in his mission (1:3, 5, 6; 2:1; 3:9; 8:5-13; 15:21-28; 28:19).

Jesus not only tells the 12 where to go (to fellow Israelites), he also tells them what to say. They are to herald the coming kingdom of heaven being wrought, no doubt, by the advent of Jesus, son of David and son of God (v. 7). Moreover, they are to conduct their miracle-laden ministry for free. They did not pay anything for the procurement of such wonder-working powers, nor are they to charge anything for their exercise of such powers (v. 8).

What is more, as the 12 embark on their journey, they are not to carry money or any other items typically deemed necessary for travel (vv. 9-10). Rather, the disciples are to depend upon the hospitality and generosity of those to whom they preach (v. 11). While they should not anticipate that all will respond positively to their message (vv. 12-15), they can entrust themselves to a heavenly Father (6:25-34) who will provide for them both in the here and in the hereafter. An awareness of God's ongoing care was to sustain the disciples in the midst of their mission.

A tenacious trust in God's everlasting goodness also can buoy us to live and to love in these days.

Discussion question

What do you think Jesus was looking for as he chose his disciples?