God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. 1 Thessalonians 4:3
As we consider how to help our children understand the significance of choosing the right person to spend the rest of their lives with, we must teach them the importance of living a pure life. Indeed, this is a command straight from Scripture. As followers of Christ, we are called to a lifestyle of purity. Additionally, if we want to see the children in our lives live pure lives, we ourselves must model a lifestyle of purity.
Paul does not mince words when he calls followers of Christ to live pure lives in 1 Thessalonians 4. “God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin,” he wrote (verse 3). In other words, Paul calls us to live pure lives. Why does he issue this call? Because God wants His followers to be holy or set apart from the rest of the world. He wants us to stay away from living like the world and in the sins of the world. When we do this, we set an example for the rest of the watching world. Regardless of your past or where you are today, you can turn to God and commit to living a pure lifestyle and asking Him for help in doing this.
This teaching from Paul to live a pure lifestyle teaches that you and I must teach the children in our lives. As they date and consider who they will spend the rest of their lives with, they must model purity. This will set them up for success as they ask themselves what kind of person they will spend their lives with.
God not only calls His people to be pure and to live a pure lifestyle, He helps us do it. He provides the Holy Spirit who walks with us and helps us make wise decisions and stay away from sin, including sexual impurity. He also provides Scripture to help show us how to live and teach our children how to live, as well. Regardless of your past and whatever you are facing today, let’s commit to seeking purity and teaching our children to do the same.
The first step in teaching the children in your life to live a lifestyle of purity is to model that lifestyle yourself. Spend time praying to God with the words of Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Confess any area of your life that impurity is lingering. Then, talk with the children about Psalm 139:23-24 and the importance of living a pure lifestyle that honors the Lord.
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 (NLT)
Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more. For you remember what we taught you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor— not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. Never harm or cheat a fellow believer in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another. Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more.
Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.
©2024 Sagebrush Church
