BE AN EXAMPLE IN PURITY - 1 Timothy 4:12
1 Timothy 4:12 in purity.
Timothy is a young man who has been called by God to preach the gospel. Paul is advising Timothy on the things that he should do so that his message is not ignored by people who think Timothy might be too young to fully understand the deep doctrine of the Christian faith. Paul gives Timothy five things that he must do so as to ensure that no man despised Timothy for his youth.
The first thing that Paul instructed Timothy to do is to be an example to the believers. Timothy was to be an example to the believers in six areas of his life. The first area that Timothy was to be an example is in the words of his mouth. The second area is in his behavior. The third area is in his demonstration of his love for the Lord and his love for his neighbor. The fourth area is in his relationship with the Holy Spirit. The fifth area is in his faith. The six area is in his purity.
Purity begins in the heart. Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount that if a man even thinks adulterous thoughts, then he is an adulterer. It is a high standard that God has placed upon Christians. We are not only accountable to HIM for our words and actions, but we are also accountable to HIM for our thoughts.
Because of his young age, people were probably watching Timothy very closely to see how he interacted with the young ladies. In fact, Paul tells Timothy that he is supposed to treat the younger women as sisters, with all purity (1 Timothy 5:2). If Timothy did not treat the young ladies as sisters, then people might start wondering if Timothy was using the pulpit to find himself a wife. If Timothy was not first an example of purity to the congregation, his message would quickly be dismissed.
God may want to use you to shine the light to those who need to develop a closer walk with the Lord. These individuals may have a problem with purity. If you are not an example in how to walk in purity, then when you are around these people, you will not be able to help them because they will see your shortcoming in the area of moral purity.
You must learn to remove those things in your life that are hindering you from fully ministering to those around you. Moral sins in your life are one of the biggest things that Satan will try to distract you with so that your effectiveness for God diminishes.
You need to learn what it means to be pure not only in words and actions but also in your thoughts. Pray that God will give you the strength to be an example to others in purity.