Biblical Leadership Lesson 6: Exemplary Purity

Memory Verse: 1 Timothy 4:12Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.Supporting Verses: Romans 1:24, 6:12-19; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 4:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; Hebrews 13:4; 1 John 1:9, 3:3Definition of purity: a heart and life wholly devoted to God, resulting in spiritually clean, morally excellent choices

1. Consider the Word: Describe the progression of truth about eating meat that you find in these verses? (Gen. 1:29-30; 9:3; Lev. 11:2; 1 Tim. 4:4)

Many verses in Leviticus teach ritual purity, which was a part of the ceremonial law given to Israel. Eating certain animals would make you unclean. So, would other conditions, such as: releasing body fluids (like blood), touching a dead body or mold, having an infection and carrying or coming in contact with a contagious disease.

2. Consider the Word: How does 2 Timothy 3:16 help us to understand this?
3. Personalize the Word: Knowing this, what can we learn from these verses? (Rom. 14:14, 10:4 and Gal. 3:24)
4. Consider the Word: How does Matthew 15:11 bring this into clearer perspective?
5. Consider the Word: What kind of uncleanness truly violates the will of God? (Rom. 1:24; 2 Cor. 12:21; Gal 5:19; Eph. 4:19; 5:3; Col. 3:5; 1 Thess. 4:7)
6. Consider the Word: What does God call “clean” in the realm of sexual behavior? (Heb. 13:4)
7. Personalize the Word: How are we “made clean” today? (1 Cor. 6:9-11; 1 Jn. 1:9)
8. Consider the Word: How should we respond to this truth about purity and cleanness today? (Rom. 6:12-19; 1 Jn. 3:3)
9. Take Action: In what ways might you feed unclean desires and open the door to unclean behavior, which God forbids? How can you make true Christian “cleanness” a priority?

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