THE PRIORITY OF PURITY
THEME: Victory = a pure life which is itself an act of worship. This means that our victorious life can be attributed to God and Him alone. That is why there must be salvation for sinners and cleansing for the Christian. Therefore, purity, or personal holiness, is the primary prerequisite for worship & for living in victory.
LOGO: Victory begins with God’s promises
happens through His Power
results in His Praise
I. Importance of Purity:
Joshua chose purity as the theme for his closing message. He even gave it 2X -
1X to Leaders – Chp 23
1X to people as a whole – Chp 24
read JOSHUA 23:15-16 See the warning that Joshua gives to Israel.
QUESTION: Why so important? It is the essence of what God is trying to accomplish in our lives!!!!
• In Genesis 1-2 God created us for the purpose of worship
• We were perfect so we were in His presence. Adam’s life was itself an Act of Worship
• What ended this? SIN!!!
Lack of purity
Why must Jesus die? To pay the price for SIN (Matthew 5:8)
and thus re-establish purity. In order to re-establish relationship in order to re-establish worship.
Psalms 24:3-5
Canaan represents victorious living. God set them up in a land He provided and one where He conquered it for His glory – all to give testimony to His greatness.
24:12-13 - Why Joshua says “God did it” and not them.
See God demands purity in
A. Worship: 23: 7
God is holy - demands purity
God is jealous in worship
THIS IS WHY JOSHUA - 2X EXPLAINS GOD DID IT ALL. To result in worship
24:12 “I sent the hornets”
13 “I provided cities - not your labor”
“crops - not your planting”
B. Works 23: 6 “Do ALL that is written”
Jesus says in John 14:15
“If you love me, keep My commandments”
14:21 “He who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves me.”
READ - I John 5:2-5
C. Witness 23: 9-10
Same applies for us:
see also Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth …”
READ - I Peter 2:9-12
chosen, “holy nation” - purity to
1) worship Him:
2) works: “abstain”
3) witness (vs 12)
“they may observe…and glorify your father”
II. Impediments to Purity
A. Failure to Conquer:
vs 7 “the nations who remain among you”
vs 12 “these that remain among you”
B. Failure to Come out
Read vs. 12
NOTE: God points out He brought them
Out of Egypt - 24:2-3. Egypt represents the bondage of sin and the old way of life
He defeated apostasy 24:9-10
Question: How does purity die?
How do we become unclean?
Pluralism - rise and acceptance of numerous different cultures, philosophies, etc.
Relativism - decline (rejection) of belief in absolute truth
Syncretism - adoption and integration of beliefs from plural cultures.
Why is this so important as it relates to marriage?
1) Intimacy - sexual - oneness - can’t be unequally yoked 2 Cor. 6:14
Matthew 6:24
2) Influence - 2 Cor. 6:14
3) Illustration - of salvation 2 Peter 2:12
Letter of 1st Corinthians
Purity of witness
Illustrate in our lives:
1) TV
TV Channels - more loose
OK everyone watches
Our children dress like them
we speak like them
Intimate - Influence - destroy Illustration.
2) Language at work
III. Ingredients of Purity
A. Cling 23:8 “hold fast” to God
23:11
23:14
B. Choose: 24:15 His Promise
C. Courage: 23:6 24:15
to obey
repeatedly says “God has driven them out”
Victory begins with God’s promises
happens through His Power
results in His Praise
CLOSING
