Modesty and Purity (9-2-12)

Matthew 5:8 - "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

In this verse the Lord Jesus tells us something that is very important for us to understand. It tells us that purity is something deeper than an outward appearance, it is a matter of the heart. And because it's a matter of the heart it makes it harder to obtain. In some sense it is relatively easy to master an outward show of something that is not inwardly true. That was the issue with the pharisees. We can have an outward appearance without the inward reality, but that inward reality is what the Lord Jesus is focusing on here. In Matthew chapter 5 Jesus is explaining the law. Over and over again He says - "You have heard that it was said... But I say to you...." And everything Jesus says has to do with the outward obedience accompanied by the inward reality. For instance, He says in Matthew 5:27-28 - "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." The Lord Jesus is dealing with a heart issue, and I just want to take this one aspect of purity that Jesus mentions in this passage and expound on it a little bit. It's relatively easy for us to bring our bodies under subjection, but our hearts and minds are on a completely different level. That's why the Lord Jesus emphasizes the internal in Matthew chapter 5 as the standard, because that's really the heart of the issue. It's easy for me to outwardly look like I'm pursuing a life of purity, and yet have an impure heart. It's easy for me to look like I have it all together, but that's because people can't see my heart. And yet that heart is the very thing God looks at. That's what He told Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7 - "man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." So we can look, to everyone else, like we're pure, but God is looking for true purity, purity of heart.

I think that, generally speaking, guys have a big problem with lust. Guys have trouble controlling their eyes and their thoughts. But again, Jesus said in Matthew 5:27-28 - "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Lust is no less abominable in Gods eyes than Adultery. And I think that a lot of times we tend to tone down the reality of this sin and we convince ourselves that it's alright to lust, because we're not really doing any harm by it. But that's not true. Lust is a hindrance to our relationship with Christ, and it affects our relationships with other people. The reality is that lust is a tactic of the devil. It's a device that Satan uses to wage war against our souls and it's very effective. Usually when talking about spiritual warfare we turn to Ephesians chapter 6 and talk about putting on the full armor of God in order that we may be able stand against the schemes of the devil. But when this weapon of lust comes out, Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 2:22 - "Flee from youthful lusts." We are not to try to stand against it, we are not to try to endure it, we are to FLEE FROM IT! Run away! I don't like the idea of running away or backing down from a fight, but when it comes to lust God knows that we can't endure it and we need to flee. Peter says it this way in 1 Peter 2:11 - "Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul." Abstain from, stay away from, avoid fleshly lust. Why? Because they wage war against the soul. The obvious example that comes to mind in regard to fleeing youthful lust is found in the life of Joseph. In Genesis 39:7-12 we read this - "It came about after these events that his master’s wife looked with desire at Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge. There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?” As she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her. Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside. She caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside." The world is very seductive, but we need to follow the example of Joseph. We should strive to be men like that, who are not afraid to run away. Joseph could've given in, but he had true purity, purity of heart. And he knew that he couldn't endure the lustful temptations that kept attacking him, that's why it says that "he didn't listen to her to lie beside her or be with her." He wasn't even going to be around her because he knew the war that even being near her would rage against his soul.

In the book of Proverbs Solomon is writing wise instructions to his son, and over and over again, especially in the early chapters, he warns his son, and us, about the alluring power of women and the destruction that will come to the one who follows after their own lusts. He says in chapter 6 - "Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned? Or can a man walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? So is the one who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; Whoever touches her will not go unpunished." Adultery burns. But remember what Jesus said - "I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." But Solomons instructions begin in the heart as well. Before talking about the consequences of adultery, he says in Proverbs 6:23-25 - "For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. Do not desire her beauty in your heart, nor let her capture you with her eyelids." Solomon emphasizes the word of God, and he says that it is a lamp and a light to keep you from falling into the trap of lust. 1 Timothy 6:11 says - "But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness." Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 1:8 - "The eye is not satisfied with seeing." This is a man who had 700 wives and 300 concubines. If the eye could be satisfied with seeing, this is the man that would know, but instead he says "vanity of vanities, all is vanity" There is no satisfaction there. The lust of the eyes, the lustful thoughts will not satisfy. In Hebrews chapter 12 Esau is called an "immoral and godless person" because he sold his birthright for a single meal. The word "immoral" seems out of place in this context, but it's not. Someone who seeks immediate satisfaction and gratification, and sacrifices a future blessing for it is an immoral person. And yet that's what so many people, even Christians, are doing today. We are trying to satisfy the lust of the eyes and the lust of our minds with a single meal, a steady gaze, or an impure thought. We don't understand that the eye is not satisfied with seeing, and we're not willing to wait on the blessings that God has for us if we'll only wait on Him. We're too caught up in the temporal, in the things that are passing away and we don't have our minds set on the eternal, invisible things that will never pass away. We can be so much like Esau, who traded something future, something that he couldn't see, for some immediate, instant gratification that wouldn't last.

So how do we apply this practically? How can we, like Joseph, "Abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul"? How can we be men of God who "Flee from youthful lusts" and "pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness"? A big way is to learn to control our eyes. If something we're watching on television or in a movie begins to spark a lustful thought, whether it's the way that a girl is dressed or conducts herself, we need to learn to turn it off. Don't tolerate it, even for a moment. There are certain places, certain stores at the mall, that we need to intentionally avoid going anywhere near because they could spark a lustful thought. Avoid the poster and magazine section at the store. These things are intentionally designed to lure us in, but we need to flee from these things for all we're worth. We need to keep our minds engaged in Gods words throughout every day because we are doubtless going to come across people who don't care what Gods word says about the "virtuous woman" and are convinced that if they're going to get the attention that they want they need to live by Hollywood's standards. I realize that this is extreme, but I am absolutely convinced that it is extremes like these that are necessary to flee from youthful lusts which wage war against the soul. Remember, Joseph went to the extreme of not even being near his masters wife in order to abstain from fleshly lusts, and when she came upon him he fled from the house. That's what we need to do. We need to do everything we can to keep away from fleshly lusts, and when they come upon us we need to run away as fast as we can.
And as far as our thought life goes, we need to be, as 2 Corinthians 10:5 says - "taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ." Don't allow your thoughts to run away with you. Take it captive and turn your thoughts to honoring and glorifying God. This is one reason why Scripture memorization is so important. The Psalmist said in Psalm 119:11 - "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You."
Look guys, this is war. It's not some joke, and it's not some small thing that can be overlooked. It's a matter of life or death in the truest sense of the words. When God says that lust is adultery He means it. And we need to grasp the seriousness of that statement. Adultery is no laughing matter. It's no small thing, it's a serious sin and it's abominable to God. I understand the struggle with lust and deal with it every day. But God has called us to flee from these things, and we cannot blame anyone else for our failures. We each need to learn to possess our own vessels in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like those who do not know God.

Up to this point I am aiming particularly at guys, because I know how we think, and I think that guys generally struggle with the lust of the eyes more than girls do. But I want to change gears and talk now primarily to my sisters in Christ. I don't know how much you understand about a guys struggle with the lust of the eyes, but I want you to know that the way you conduct yourself, and specifically the way that you dress has an effect on us. Again, I'm speaking in general terms, I realize that there are exceptions and expansions as far as both lust and modesty are concerned, and that both can be applied to guys and girls, but in general guys struggle with the lust of the eyes, and girls struggle with the effect of the culture on the way that they dress, and I want to turn now and see what the Bible has to say about this subject of modesty.

Modesty, like purity, begins in the heart. More important than having modesty in the way that you dress, it needs to exist in the heart. Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:9-10 - "Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness." Notice the words "modestly and discreetly" in verse 9. These qualities begin in and flow out of the heart. Modesty, the very basis for the word has the idea of humility behind it. A modest person is one who has regard for others. The opposite of humility, of course, is pride. Therefore, a modest person is a humble person, whereas an immodest person is one who is proud or who seeks attention for themselves. The other word in this verse, "discreetly" can also be translated "self-control" and can be summed up by the word "restraint." So a modest person is one who is humble and self controlled for the purpose of glorify God. And those qualities existing in the heart will manifest themselves in the way that we dress. A modest woman is a woman who uses humility and restraint in the way that she dresses as a result of her heart toward God. Proverbs 31:30 says - "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."
In his commentary on this verse John MacArthur says - "How does a woman discern the sometimes fine line between proper dress and dressing to be the center of attention? The answer starts in the intent of the heart. A woman should examine her motives and goals for the way she dresses. Is her intent to show the grace and beauty of womanhood? Is it to reveal a humble heart devoted to worshiping God? Or is it to call attention to herself, and flaunt her beauty?  Or worse, to attempt to allure men sexually? A woman who focuses on worshiping God will consider carefully how she is dressed, because her heart will dictate her wardrobe and appearance."
A woman's heart will dictate her wardrobe and appearance. That means a modest heart will manifest itself in modest clothing, however an immodest heart will also be revealed by the way a person dresses. Peter says in 1 Peter 3:3-4 - "Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God." God is concerned first and foremost with the condition of your heart. Your adornment, your clothing, isn't to be merely external, your clothing shouldn't just be something you wear, but it should begin in the heart. The adornment, the clothing, the modesty of the heart is where it all begins and God desires for you to have modesty, humility and self-control in you heart in order that it might flow out into every part of your life. Once again, God says in 1 Samuel 16:7 - "man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." While it's true that God looks at the heart, it's equally true that man looks on the outward appearance. Just because God looks at the heart doesn't give you any right to neglect your outward appearance, and in fact, your outward appearance should actually reflect the condition of your heart.
The modest woman is the one who dresses in such a way so as not to draw attention to themselves. I don't think that many girls realize the effect that their clothing has on guys. Dennis Medeiros rightly said, "A girl can make a guy melt like butter on hot popcorn." Hopefully some of what I shared above will help you understand the struggles that we have as guys, but I realize that the struggles, the battles are just as real for you. Girls are under a great impression that in order to get attention from a guy you need to dress in a certain way. You need to dress in a way that will draw attention to yourself and to your body. If you want to attract a guy you need to have a certain image and a certain style. The big brand names and fashion designers know what guys are attracted to, they know how we think, and they are set on making and selling clothing to you that will cause you to attract attention. And it works. Immodest clothing will attract attention, but it's not the kind of attention you want, and it doesn't come from the kind of man that you want to attract. Godly men are striving to please God. They are striving to flee from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. And so when we encounter an immodestly dressed person, our immediate thought is "I need to flee." On the other hand, lukewarm Christians and men who are still lost in their trespasses and sins love to see an immodest woman because she is just a means for them to fulfill their own fleshly lust, and get caught up in the lust of the eyes. That's not the kind of attention you want, but that's the only kind of attention that immodest dress brings.
I realize too that because of the trends and the fashionable styles today modest clothing is hard to come by. But I want to encourage you not to settle for our cultures standard of modesty. Strive for something higher. Your efforts do not go unnoticed. I'm not going to state any specific dress code because the Bible does not do so. I only entreat my sisters in Christ to consider prayerfully the way that you dress, and consider your intent. Do you dress the way that you do in order to attract attention to yourself, or are you seeking, by your clothing, to communicate a humble heart toward God.

This is something that was written by a male college student who was striving to glorify God from a pure heart, and the testimony that he shares is common among young men -
"Each and every day on campus is a battle. A battle against my sin, a battle against temptation, a battle against my depraved mind. Every morning I have to cry out for mercy, strength, and a renewed conviction to flee youthful lust. The Spirit is faithful to bring me the renewal I need and to prepare me to do war against my sin, yet temptations still exist. I’m thankful God has created me to be attracted to women. However, campus is a loaded minefield. There are girls everywhere, and it is guaranteed that I will pass some attractive girls as I walk in between classes. To make it through the day unscathed, I either have to be actively engaging my mind and spirit in praying, quoting Scripture, listening to worship music, or looking at the sidewalk. Many days it takes all four to be safe. The thing that women do not seem to fully grasp is that the temptation toward lust does not stop. It is continual. It is aggressive. And it does all it can to lead men down to death. And women have a choice to help or deter the goal and purpose of lust. Sometimes when I see a girl provocatively dressed, I’ll say to myself, "She probably doesn’t even know that 101 guys are going to devour her in their minds today. But then again, maybe she does." To be honest, I don’t know the truth, the truth of why she chooses to dress the way she does, the way she chooses to walk, the way she chooses to act. I don’t know because I’ve never sat down with a girl and asked why. All I need to know is that the way she presents herself to the world is bait for my sinful mind to latch onto and I need to avoid it at all costs."
He goes on to say - "to the girls who don’t follow the pattern of the world: thank you. Thank you a million times over. You are following Scripture’s commands, and you are helping your brothers in the process." I want to echo his gratitude. Thank you so very much for every one of you who reveals the modesty of your hearts in the way that you dress. Guys rarely say anything in the way of thanks to you who dress modestly. We rarely bring it up because it's awkward and embarrassing for us to mention it, but know that your efforts are not unnoticed, and your modesty is truly a blessing.

Finally, a common thread that connects both, guys who are seeking to abstain from fleshly lust and girls who are pursuing modesty, is good works. That passage in 1 Timothy 2:9-10 said - "Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness." The virtuous woman in Proverbs chapter 31 is characterized by her good works. Notice this description, and notice how verse after verse describes her good works, and only one verse deals with the clothes that she wears. This is truly a modest woman -
"An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight. She is like merchant ships; She brings her food from afar. She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household and portions to her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; From her earnings she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She senses that her gain is good; Her lamp does not go out at night. She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hands grasp the spindle. She extends her hand to the poor, and she stretches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She makes coverings for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies belts to the tradesmen. Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future. She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying: “Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.” Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her the product of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates." A godly woman, a virtuous woman, a modest woman is characterized by her good works.
Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:20-22 - "Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart." The man of God is to flee from youthful lusts, to cleanse himself from these things in order that he might be useful to the master, prepared for every good work. The modest woman and the man of God, both of them are characterized by good works. God saved us for good works. He has a purpose for us and He wants to use us, but He doesn't use dirty vessels. This is what the Lord Jesus said about the Pharisees in Matthew 23:25-26 - "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also." And this is what Paul warns Timothy. You have to flee youthful lusts, cleanse your heart and mind from any impure thought our self-indulgence that you may be a clean vessel, useful to God.
Paul reiterates this idea in Titus 2:13-14 - "looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds." Jesus gave Himself for us to purify us in order that He might use us. If we're delighting in self-indulgence we're fighting against the very purpose that God brought us to Himself through the death of Christ. This is what he talks about earlier in Titus when he says - "To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed." We're supposed to be zealous for good works, but if we're not pure in heart we are worthless for any good deed.

The thing that will make and keep us pure in heart is abiding in Christ. Constantly dwelling in Him. John says in 1 John 2:28 - "Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming." Abiding in Christ is the thing that will keep us from doing things that would cause us to shrink away from Him in shame. We want to be constantly living our lives expecting Christ to return at any moment. We never want to be thinking or doing anything that we would be ashamed of at His return. John goes on in chapter 3 to talk about how when Christ appears we will be made as He is, and he says in verse 3 - "And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." If we really believe that we are going to be made like Christ at His appearing, then we are going to strive toward that end in our everyday lives. We're going to purify ourselves, just as He is pure. What does Christ’s purity look like? Did He ever indulge in the lust of the flesh or of the mind? No, He never even gave the appearance that He could've possibly been involved in anything impure, and that's what we need to do. Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:22 - "Abstain from all appearance of evil." If someone could get the wrong impression if we said a certain thing or attended a certain event, even if it isn't wrong, we should avoid it for appearance sake. That's what it means to "abstain from all appearance of evil." And it's a high calling, but escaping from the lukewarm trend of the church today is what we're called to do, and it's never easy.
1 John 4:17 says - "By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world." And Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2:15 - "For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing." We're a picture of Christ to the world, and we need to strive to be as much like Him as possible. The fact is that no matter how far along you are on your Christian walk, there is always someone, both saved and unsaved, looking up to you. Looking to you to see how a Christian will act in a given situation. That's why Paul says in 1 Timothy 4:12 - "Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe." Guys, are you an example of purity to those around you in the things that you look at or think? Girls, are you an example of purity to those around you in the way that you dress or act?

David wrote Psalm 51 shortly after committing adultery with Bathsheba, and he says in verses 7 and 10 - "Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow... Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me." David recognized that purity of heart comes from God alone. He alone can accomplish it, and his prayer needs to be ours as well. And not only can God do it, but He wants to. He wants us to open ourselves up to Him to allow Him to purify us for Himself. Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 5:23 - "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." God wants complete purity, spirit, soul and body. Inner and outer. Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, meditate on these things." Simply put, if something doesn't meet the standards in this verse it shouldn't even enter our minds. If you are put in a situation where you know that you are going to be tempted by impure thoughts, you need to get out of it. Even if everyone else is doing it, you need to show yourself as an example of those who believe. Avoid every appearance of evil, and flee youthful lusts.

I want to encourage my Christian brothers to flee youthful lusts which wage war against the soul. Flee from them! It's so easy to enter into the indulgence of the mind, to commit adultery in the heart by lusting after a woman, but FLEE FROM IT! "Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ." It's a struggle, a war. The world tells us that the way of satisfaction, the way of pleasure, the way of happiness is to indulge the flesh in it's corrupt desires, but that's a lie. Flee youthful lusts which wage war against the soul.
I also want to encourage my Christian sisters to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly. I realize that the struggle for girls is just as real as the struggle for guys. The war raging against you in the area of clothing is tremendous, and I'm sure the struggles are very great. But I want to encourage you not to give in to the lies of the culture around you. Don't settle for anything less than Gods standard, and strive for purity, true purity. Purity from the heart. And thank you so much for your efforts.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 - "For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification."