Living a life of purity is a 
wonderful existence!
The Pathway of Purity offers us an inner strength and confidence, as well as a sense of comfort and peace and self-respect.
Walking in purity is to maintain a ‘set-apart-ness‘ — set apart for a special purpose, set-apart as one of God’s special vessels of honour.
Living a life of purity gives us the joy of a good and clean conscience! A pure life gives us a refreshing confidence that is like…
COLD WATER refreshing a thirsty throat!!
Testing Our Resolve
But maintaining a life of purity is not always easy. Often it is a lonely and difficult pathway! Peer pressure, family pressures — these can be challenging obstacles and hindrances that test our resolve to walk in purity. But . . . the blessings, the confidence, and the relationship we gain with the Most High God, our heavenly Father, far outweighs the hardships!
Some do not know the joy of a life of purity because they have not yet experienced the first lifting away of the weight of sin. A life of purity begins when a person has been cleansed by the precious blood of Messiah [Christ], and is thereby free from guilt, shame, and darkness.
The burden and weight of sin is initially dealt with and removed, when we first come to Yahushua Messiah [the Hebrew name for Jesus Christ] for His salvation. When we personally turn to God by becoming Born-Again, and we personally accept the blood sacrifice Yahushua [Jesus] made for us on the cross, then we begin to know the joy of a clean conscience, the joy of a heart set free from sin and guilt! This is a mystery to those who remain weighted down with the darkness of sin. Yet, the mystery vanishes when one accepts the loving sacrifice of the Saviour.
Once we are Born-Again, we begin a new journey — a life-long adventure of walking with the Saviour. Our journey with Yahushua is a journey of learning about His great love for us. It is a journey of loving Him in return (1John 4:19). It is a journey of following Him, learning to ‘walk as He walked’ (1John 2:6), and learning to live our life as Messiah desires of us.
We begin to live our life as Messiah would live it, by imitating the purity of our Saviour.
Imitating Messiah’s Character
There is much about the Saviour that is worthy of our imitation. Many times in Scripture, we are encouraged to be like Messiah, and to follow His example. Imitating Messiah means learning to be ‘meek and lowly of heart’ (Matthew 11:29) and learning to ‘walk as He walked’ (1John 2:6). These are major keys to a life of purity!
The decision to imitate Messiah’s character can get clouded over by our fleshly, carnal nature. At times, our decision to ‘keep on following’ may boil down to making only one step at a time! Sometimes our resolve will need to be re-affirmed over and over again – sometimes daily, and sometimes hourly. With Father’s help however, by His Holy Spirit, we can follow Messiah’s example. By His mercy and grace, we can begin to enter into the wonderful life of purity.
Moments of Self-Denial
Our commitment to imitate Messiah must include moments of denying ‘Self’. Denying ‘Self’ is not easy for anyone! Yet if we do not ever make the choice to walk in Denial of ‘Self’ — if we will not learn to deny our own selfishness, lusts, appetites, passions, and worldly wisdom, then we will not experience the rewarding joy, the self-respect, and the maturity of a pure life. Sadly, we will miss out on Father’s best plan for us.
To imitate Messiah, we must face the decision (often) to say, “Father,… not my will, but Yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42)!
Learning to deny ourselves is a key ingredient to a life of purity and strength. Therefore, those who desire to love and follow Messiah Yahushua will consider all areas of their life that need adjustment to come into obedience to His written Word. We will begin to pray for an obedient heart, pray for a willingness to deny ‘Self’ and make changes. We will begin to regularly cry out to Yahuwah Elohim [the Hebrew name for the LORD God] for His help to do, even a ‘baby step’, in following the instructions of Scripture.
Self-denial means making adjustments and sacrifices. If we are to ‘come into line’ with Yahuwah’s desires for His children, then denying ‘Self’ is key to our obedience and our purity! When we begin to make the necessary adjustments in order to imitate Messiah, then we are on the pathway to a life of purity. And, if we are a genuine ‘Thirsty Soul,’ then walking in God’s pathway for purity is a sure way to satisfy our thirsty soul.
“An easy-going, non-self-denying life will never be one of power!” — J. Hudson Taylor
Two Necessary Steps
There are two crucial and necessary steps to take to begin to imitate Messiah — steps that are like ‘supports’ to help us walk in the Pathway of Purity.
- The First, and Very Necessary Step is to withdraw from, and avoid, all sexual sins and perversions, as defined in the Scriptures!
We must learn for ourselves what are the very specific sexual sins that Father reveals in His written Word that we are to avoid! And then, we must begin to completely turn away from these sins, and stop participating in these sins.
- If we are serious and want to live in purity then begin to look in the Bible ourselves to see the following verses that tell what sexual sins and perversions we must avoid:
- 1Thessalonians 4:3-7;
- 1Corinthians 6:9,10,18;
- Galatians 5:19-21;
- Luke 18:20;
- 1Timothy 1:8-11;
- Leviticus 18:4-30.
Sadly and tragically, sexual sins – fornication and sexual perversions are commonplace in our modern culture. It is grieving that multitudes today are deceived in this all-important and very significant area of our life. As we discussed in more detail in Avoiding The Sin Against Our Own Body, sexual sins are deeply heart-breaking defilements!
If we will examine the above Scriptures, they clearly teach us that sexual sins defile our body — our BODY, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. To practice such sins and perversions is to violate the guidelines given by Yahuwah Elohim in His written Word — guidelines for living a life of Well-Being, for living a life that is Holy and Pure!
We must make a sober-minded decision to avoid all sexual sins and perversions. Our decision needs to be based on God’s written Word alone! Do not lean on feelings, emotions, or peers. Cry out to the heavenly Father for His help and strength to overcome all sexual sins and perversions.
After we begin to be obedient to the Scriptures, we will then begin to have a confidence and a joyful peace that we are walking in the right direction!
- The Second Essential Step for finding the Pathway of Purity is to cease from defiling our body with destructive substances such as tobacco, alcohol, and mind-altering drugs. One can easily find the research studies that repeatedly warn of the damaging nature of these substances on our body.
However, our decision to avoid such defilements is based on the written Word of Yahuwah (see 1Corinthians 3:16,17; 1Corinthians 6:19), — because, as we saw in Your Body – The Temple of the Living God, our Creator is very interested in the preservation, health, and well-being of our BODIES!
These two All-Important Steps to walking in the Pathway of Purity are the vital supports needed for beginning the process of coming out of worldly ways, and coming into line with Father’s loving guidelines for His children.
We Need God’s Help
Every one of us is ‘a work in progress’! Therefore, all of us must begin to pray and earnestly seek Father’s help and strength to gain victory over these sins. Without God’s help and strength, we will fail!
If we will begin to pray daily, and ask Father God to help us, and trust God’s GREAT love for us, then little by little, we will know His strength and help upon us. Every ‘baby step’ we take to avoid defiling our body, will bring us closer to the purity, the strength, and the peace that we long for.
It should also be understood that lying, stealing, hatred [which is the same as murder (1John 3:15)], and profanity, disrespect, and idolatry — all these sins need to be avoided! We are not to be associated with these sins in any way!! These things are wickedness according to Scripture, and can surely spoil the Pathway of Purity in our lives! (see Mark 7:20-23 and Galatians 5:19-21.)
Father’s Great Mercy
Truly, we have all known the heart-breaking sadness of choosing impurity in some form. We have all indulged in various defilements before coming to Yahushua [Jesus] for salvation, and before personally knowing the heavenly Father and His written Word.
However, all of Yahuwah’s children can thankfully say, “HalleluYAH for Father’s great mercy, forgiveness, and cleansing, through the blood of our Saviour Yahushua!” Even though our past may have the stains of defilements, the important thing to remember is the power of Yahushua’s blood and forgiveness to cleanse us.
By Father’s great mercy and love, Yahushua Messiah’s precious blood cleanses us from all inquity, and we become a ‘new creation’ in Messiah, our Saviour! As a new creation, we have a new beginning, a new joy, a new strength, and we can press forward with faith and love, and seek Yahuwah’s best for us!
Let us seek Yahuwah’s help, and be diligent to add to our faith ‘virtue‘ [moral excellence and purity] (2Peter 1:5)! Such excellence is foundational for worshipping Yahuwah [the LORD] in the beauty of holiness (Psalms 96:9).
Fight the Good Fight of Faith
If you have already taken these initial steps in ‘walking as Messiah walked’, then you know the joy of these supports for maintaining purity. Continue on in your determined focus to fight the good fight of faith! Do not give up nor become weary in well doing!!!
Though at times, our fight of faith can be difficult and defeating. But Father wants us to come to Him even when we fail. God’s Word promises us that the Pathway of Purity is the Way of Strength, confidence, and, hope. With His help we can know the rewards for seeking and following His Word:
The way of Yahuwah [the LORD] is strength to the upright: but destruction to the workers of iniquity (Proverbs 10:29).
The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them (Proverbs 11:3).
The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keeps His way preserves his soul (Proverbs 16:17).
Our love for Yahuwah and His Son, and our earnest efforts to obey the written Word of Yahuwah is at the heart of walking in the Pathway of Purity. Our faith, commitment, and obedience are the things that please Yahuwah, and will bring us further along in our maturity.
We may experience loneliness by walking the Pathway of Purity, but let us remember the apostle Paul’s exhortation:
Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (2Corinthians 4:17).
Our afflictions are small compared to the eternal weight of glory that awaits those who walk in Yahuwah’s Pathway, living in agreement with His written Word, the Bible!! Gaining the eternal weight of glory begins with our commitment to walk in Yahuwah’s Pathway of Purity!
—
Related Articles:
- The Way of the Cross
- The Royal Way
- To This One Will I Look– three keys for pleasing God
- Preparing Your Heart– learning steps for serving God in purity and obedience
- The Key To Gaining Understanding – key insights for gaining understanding within the circle of our personal life
- How Can I Satisfy My Thirsty Soul? – three tips for satisfying our thirsty soul
- Dying to Self– A brief list of practical examples of how we experience “dying to self.”
- Your Body – The Temple of The Living God – learning the significance of our body as a set-apart, holy, and valuable treasure
- Breaking our hedge (Defilement explained)
- J. Hudson Taylor: God’s Mighty Man of Prayer
- Standing Against the Midianites – a very brief post by Natan Lawrence about the sexual looseness and perversion in our society, rooted in the spirit of Midian
- Sex Outside Marriage– The dangers of sexual defilement.
- What Makes Porn and Sexual Sin Different?
- Who Is The Chaste Virgin?– The Scriptures portray the betrothed Bride of Messiah as a Chaste Virgin. The Bridegroom has a plan for the Bride: that she might remain chaste. – by thewayprepared.com
—
Cold Waters to a Thirsty Soul
Cold Waters to a Thirsty Soul 
Post a Comment