📖 Read Time: 5 min
For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 ESV)
Just this morning as I was walking on the elliptical, I thought to myself: I don’t want to do this! For the past five weeks, I’ve been working out regularly for the first time in my life. As I’ve exercised my muscles, including my mind, in ways I never have before, it has been difficult. As the clock slowly made its way towards the 30 minute mark and as soon as I completed my exercise, I was so thankful I finished the workout.
Was my workout this morning worth it? Without a doubt. By God’s grace the work I’m putting in will both impact my life now, tomorrow, a year from now, and if I live long enough, decades to come. It hasn’t just been my physical body that has been challenged by my new workout routine. It has challenged me emotionally, mentally, and in some ways that are hard to describe, spiritually. I’m thankful that the God I serve cares about every part of me.
As you reflect on the Philippians 4:8 challenge, I want to share an important truth: The spiritual work you are putting in can be hard. If you are anything like me, giving up things that can be unhealthy, things like social media, the news, podcasts, movies, games, and things like these, can be just as or even more difficult than starting a new workout regimen. Even if it only starts out as a 30 day challenge! However, I would like to point out that according to the Scripture this is even more important than your physical health. Paul says it like this: Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:7-8)
In our focal Scripture today, the Holy Spirit reminds us of the heart of God. Paul writes that God “has not called us for impurity, but holiness.” In context, Paul is talking about sexual immorality and God’s clear instruction and will for the life of a believer to be fundementally different than their culture in moral areas like these. If it is true that you cannot live a holy life with unholy thinking, and if we apply the eight tests of Philippians 4:8 to our thought life, we learn quickly that we must cut off unholiness at the root. To say it another way, we must learn to cut it off before we are exposed and influenced by it.
If the movies, TV shows, social media content, and other things you are consuming are carnal, worldly, and promote and celebrate sin, don’t be surprised when those things begin to influence your thinking and eventually your actions. If I entertain sexual immorality and imagine it is just entertainment, I’ve fallen into a dangerous trap that will eventually have disastrous consequences.
I want to challenge you from Paul’s admonishment in Galatians 6:9: And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. If you originally committed to this journey and you are thinking about giving up early, I hope you’ll prayerfully decide to continue on. If you decided the best way not to fail was not to try, I challenge you to pray about joining us on the journey now. As we close out this devotion, I want to remind you how important it is to find Godly, Christ honoring ways to fill the time you are giving up from these other things. Start with spending time with Jesus (see John 15:4-5) and in His Word (see John 8:31-32). Also, invest that time in your spouse, your children, your family, and your friends. However you do it, remember you don’t have to do it alone!
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV)
Shoal Creek Baptist Church is located in Canton, Georgia, and serves families throughout Cherokee County, Waleska, Ball Ground, Holly Springs, Jasper, and the Lake Arrowhead community. Join us Sundays at 11:00 AM.
