Proverbs 12:4 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
In Proverbs 31, Solomon was instructed to find a virtuous woman for a wife. In that passage, we are shown the character traits that are found in a virtuous woman. This passage demonstrates one […]
Acts 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Paul and Barnabas have gone to Jerusalem to have the elders answer the question as to whether the Gentiles had to be circumcised before they could be saved. Upon arriving in Jerusalem, they shared with the church what the Lord had done. There were some Pharisees which believed who began to argue that the Law of Moses had to be followed. However, Peter stood up and reminded everyone about how God spoke to him about how there was no difference between the Jew and Gentile and that it was the purifying of the hearts that was important in God�s site.
II Corinthians 11:2-3 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
You are the espoused bride of Christ. Christ is returning to this earth to claim you and to take you to the home that HE has prepared for you in heaven. Just as an earthly husband desires his bride to be a chaste or pure virgin, so to, it is Christ�s desire that you save yourself for HIM by not allowing yourself to dwell upon impure thoughts.
God created a perfect world and gave Adam and Eve complete dominion over the earth. However, there was only one rule and that was that they could not eat of the tree of good and evil. Satan came to Eve and caused her to think more highly of herself then she ought. Eve allowed Satan to put impure thoughts in her mind that then caused her to sin and violate God�s perfect law.
Purity is not just skin deep. Purity starts in the mind. Christ told you �That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment� Matthew 5:22. HE also told you �That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.� Matthew 5:28. In order for you to practice virtue, you must learn to guard your mind early and prevent impure thoughts from entering your mind. If you allow impure thoughts to control your mind, you are setting yourself up to follow Eve�s example by allowing yourself to fall into sin.
Christ is the perfect bridegroom and HE desires that you HIS bride remain pure while you wait. Virtue requires that you dwell upon pure thoughts. The gospel of Christ is simple. Throughout the ages, mankind has attempted to corrupt the gospel so as to raise their status among man. By pride they have attempted to mislead many creating a gospel according to works so as to diminish the gift that Christ made upon the cross. Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice by giving HIS life for HIS bride. HE is asking HIS bride to remain faithful to HIM and wait for HIM by being virtuous.
Christ is courting you. HE is coming one day soon to take you to heaven. It is your duty to add to your faith virtue which means that you are to save yourself for the Bridegroom by dwelling upon pure thoughts. It is not easy keeping your mind pure living in an impure world. Adam and Eve could not refrain from impure thoughts and they lived in a perfect world. You cannot on your own accord keep impure thoughts out of your mind. However, by the power of the blood, you have the strength to overcome the wicked one. Just because Satan desires to tempt you with impure thoughts, it does not mean that you must yield to that temptation. Instead, demonstrate virtue by learning to not dwell upon impure thoughts. Preserve yourself for the Bridegroom.
No one said it would be easy to add to your faith virtue. Nonetheless, virtue requires that purity be in your mind and in your heart. Do not dwell upon things that are impure. Do not allow yourself to be corrupted into believing anything but the simplicity of the gospel. Keep yourself pure by not dwelling upon things that would not be pleasing unto Christ your Savior. Save yourself for Christ as HE is coming soon for you.
