Closer Look At Purity 2. The Outward Appearance:
QUOTE: The outside should only receive the most attention when selling a product, but when it does not honestly display the truth of the inward contents, we are living in a serious lie. -Janessa Shelton (Matthew 23:27–28)
The False Purity:
Have you ever heard the cute analogy of something being like a hospital gown? You think you're covered but you're not? I laugh when I give too much thought to this saying, but truly, that's how i think outward purity most Chrsitians believe is 'true purity' resembles.
We have been taught from the very moment we enter into a retail chain that how things appear can be very deceptive to what you think you are purchasing versus what you are actually receiving. A chip bag may only contain half of its content, boxes packaging displays what appears to be more that its contents provides, and the attractive labels, colors, styling, and promises on the box always seems to attract buyers offering more than it seems.
If it is flashy, classy, or appears to give you more than you think you are getting, it's all in the packaging is only a great marketing angle. But the Christian is not in the marketing business.
We are in the Christ-pleasing business and the inside is where the attraction shines forth. 1 Samuel 16:7
The outside should only receive the most attention when selling a product, but when it does not honestly display the truth of the inward contents, we are living in a serious lie. Proverbs 16:2 (the LORD weigheth the spirits)
The Christian life is not a boxed package. 2 Corinthians 4:2 (not walking in craftiness… manifestation of the truth) Romans 12:2 (not conformed… transformed)
It is clear see-through presentation of the inner workings of our Savior Jesus Christ. When we try to box that with our own pride, arrogance, and flashiness, we are masking the reality that we are uncomfortable to be a 'glass' panel in which people peer in to see Jesus. We know that is not what people will really see. (We are the only Bible some people read! 2 Corinthians 3:2–3)
They will see us, in all our...imperfections. Our brokenness, our sin, and our incompleteness. (by the way that may not be a bad thing)
True purity is not flashed on the outside in the way that we dress our frame, but how we treasure Christ on the inside of us. How we cherish Christ, and honor him on the inside of our hearts and minds declares itself -only naturally- on the outside. (Psalm 51:6 God desires truth in the inward parts)
Biblical purity is not worried about attracting the right or the wrong crowds. It is more focused on aligning the actions, attitudes, spirits, and behaviors in alignment with the Holy Spirit's guidance and leadership. (Galatians 1:10)
Our dedication to Christ and his desires immediately causes us to align our hearts and minds to be aware, exercising discernment and also concern toward how the Lord feels about us and our lifestyle. Those who truly follow Christ are not afraid, nor ashamed, to be a clear glass house to the world. It does not make them personally ashamed, or shy because they know that Christ is shining through them on the throne of their hearts, emotions, spirit, demeanor, and will display itself on the outside.
When we teach our children purity, we are not focused on the tidiness of the flesh necessarily, but rather on the heart issues that will completely define how that child will grow to live their lives consistently without our 'censorship'.
Anyone can program a child much like a robot to dress, look, say, and repeat what we tell them, and teach them, but for it to develop within them as a real relationship with Jesus Christ is what creates a deeply genuine follower of Jesus Christ that will grow to love their Savior more and more an attune their heart unto the leading of the Holy Spirit. (Isn't that how we parents live?)
What is purity?
If purity is Christ, because all of us have messed up purity long ago in the garden, I think it interesting that teach our children that if they commit the 'sin' of intimacy before marriage and 'fooling around' beforehand, we are telling them they are pure and spotless before that, when the Bible is clear that an act of fornication (or adultery) is found within the heart, and that we are not to 'defraud' our brothers or sisters in Christ, we tend to create a huge monster with the concept of 'defiling' the physcial frames of our bodies more than we amplify the defiling of our hearts and minds.
We tell our sons and daughters that if they defile their body the temple of the living God (1 Corinthians 6:19–20) that it is a terrible thing they can never get back and will never be the same! Yet, when they think dirty or inappropriate thoughts we never speak of those, we never train our children to deal with purity inside! (2 Corinthians 10:5)
This does not negate the seriousness of defiling God's temple. Think of all the ways that we defile our temples though and think nothing about it!
When we eat or drink things we know that affect our bodies negatively, or avoid taking care of our bodies the way we know we are supposed to, we are hurting God's body that He lives within.
When we have lust issues, (Matthew 5:28) we are not registering how to quickly identify it and turn away from it. In many Christian circles we create rules as a proverbial fence to the body when there is no training to 'guard' the heart and the mind so that those fences are placed there purposefully by the children! You should know that your sixteen year old son will not be bodily impure when he is at a youth function when you know that all is right with he and the Lord and that he chooses to bring his mind and his heart into subjection to Christ. This will result in his healthy view and love of His Savior that will cause him to also reign in his body and his flesh on his own to avoid tempting circumstances, and placing himself in a 'danger zone'.
Am I saying that parents should be haphazard helping their child to protect their purity? Absolutely not, I am simply saying on the proverbial boat of Christian values, the bent toward physical purity has the Christian ship overturning with its weight to that side, that parents are left shocked with it capsizes! Because we are not wholesomely evaluating the entire argument of purity with our young people.
We need to be putting things into place:
Assure your child is daily speaking with the Lord in a prayer life not simply habit prayers.
Insure that your child spends daily time in the word of God and gleaning from its contents.
Reassure: Your child in their walk with Christ with promises, and reminders what they are in Christ and how their walk with God affects them.
Pressure: Instruct, admonish, rebuke, guide, and disciple your children daily to maintain a right heart attitude and excellent spirit before the Lord when they are showing signs of fleshly behaiors.
Pleasure: Praise your children when they show depth in their love for Christ at the seat of their decisions and emotions. Praise Gods a long ways!
Treasure: Family time talking about the day's events and how the Lord expects you to go through them, enjoy family devotion time, and connecting with your children's needs at the end of the day
Exposure: We cannot shield our babies from all evil but we are to prepare them for when the evil rears its ugly head, equipping them with the truth to combat the evil through daily exercise of protecting their own eyes, ears, heart and minds, thoughts etc.
Posture: your own heart and life, spirit and attitude before the Lord and your children, and assess their spiritual posture with the Lord. Are they kneeling in submission before the Lord in their hearts? Or are they constantly fighting his direction, and yours throughout the day?
When we model Christ's purity, the body is reigned in by our love for Christ but ultimately his love for us! Because the Love of Christ constrains us. 2 Corinthians 5:14
