Purity

Feedback:
How did you get on with the action point?
How is it going with your evangelism and discipleship?

Intro:
“Everyone is doing it!” Therefore, how can I as a Christian student not join in? Does God really expect me in this sex-mad world to be pure?

Read: I Thessalonians 4v1-8
Paul helped plant the church in Thessaloniki, which was the capital city of the province of Macedonia. In this letter, he reminds them of some important instructions he had given them.

How are the Thessalonians doing? What does Paul encourage them to do (make a list)?
Sexual immorality is sex outside the context for which it was created. God designed sex to be between a man and woman committed to each other for life (i.e. married).
How can we avoid sexual immorality?
How does one “learn to control his own body”? Is this really possible?
What is the difference between the Christian and non-Christian lifestyles? Where do they lead?
What do we learn about these instructions (8)?
Do we believe God’s way is really best? What motivates us to live God’s way?

True or False:
In Christ we have everything we need to resist temptation.

Pray:
In pairs (same gender if possible) pray honestly for each other regarding sexual purity.

Action Point:
This week, in same-gender pairs, hold each other accountable by asking direct questions relating to sexual purity. Some questions you could start with are:

What are some of the temptations we are encountering at the moment?
Are we experiencing God’s love and forgiveness when we sin?
Are we depending on the Holy Spirit to help us change?

Remember, if we have trusted Christ, our eternal relationship with God is secure. There is no condemnation (Romans 8v1). However we need to confess any known sins to maintain our daily friendship with God.

Digging Deeper:
Use an online Bible concordance (e.g. biblegateway.com) or Study Bible to read more about sexual immorality in the New Testament. There is lots to read.

Agape Essentials 2.6