Last week we continued four part series on purity. It’s something that every kid (and adult) needs to hear. I gave just one piece of advice last week. When you see someone and you know they are attractive BOUNCE YOUR EYES away from them.
This week we need to look at lust from the standpoint of our minds. The eyes were a good start because without putting lustful images in front of our eyes, we begin to get them off of our minds. But simply taking the action of looking away from people’s bodies is not enough. In Romans 12:2 Paul said, “Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” It is only with renewed minds that we can see God’s will. A lot of kids are out there trying to simply avoid sin. They want to avoid what the world is doing and they have the right intentions. They know it is wrong. They know that being impure grieves our Lord’s heart. John Piper notes that “the problem is you can avoid all kinds of worldly behaviors and not be transformed.”
1) Things Need to Change from the Outside In
Through reading the Bible, having a quiet time, listening to the advise of godly men, and meditating on the truths we learn our minds begin to be renewed. 2 Corinthians 4:4 tells us “The god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them
from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.”
2) Things Need to Change from the Inside Out
God has to break our hard hearts, He needs to give us humility. The students we work with need to have both of these ingredients to get the minds renewed. If God works on their hearts but they don’t stay in His word and focus on His will, their hearts will harden back up. If they stay in His word but resist His work in their hearts, all the knowledge they gain will be useless.
These two steps are great ways to build up a pure, God honoring mindset.
