Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians are some of my favorite books of the Bible. They are so great because the contain both structured theological teaching and practical instructions for Christian living. One facet of this lifestyle was made conspicuous in Philippians when I listened to a challenging address by John Maxwell regarding sexual purity.
1:9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return. 11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. ... 20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. 21 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.2:12 ... Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. 14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.3:8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! 12 I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. ... 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
It is a mystery how Christ works out His life in mine. It is by grace through faith that I am saved, and it is His daily grace that enables me to live for Him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank you for saving me and calling me to live a holy life that glorifies you. I thank you for setting me apart from the world and its destruction. Lord, I pray that my life will be a demonstration of the purity you desire. I pray that my life will be a sacrifice that pleases you. Jesus, I place my thoughts, will, and heart in your command. Lord, lead me on, and I will run after you. I pray this in Jesus's Name. Amen.
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