As we start our “Disciplines of a Godly Man” series, we will have a couple new blogs up on subjects we have tackled before. This being one of them. I would encourage you if you haven’t already, read Mark Moeller’s post on July 1, 2022 on the “Discipline of Purity” after you are done with this one.
Re-reading this book “Disciplines of a Godly Man” I am struck by the first sentence in this chapter on purity. He says “One need turn on the television for only a few minutes to feel the heat of the oppressive sensuality of our day”.
Being a man who hasn’t had “cable TV” for a while, I recently (yes, because of sports) got another
subscription so I can follow the Seahawks and Mariners this year. I realized a few things really quickly.
1. Mariners have been a blast to watch this season!
2. There really is nothing worthwhile on TV.
3. Commercials are geared toward sex.
It doesn’t matter what they are selling, if they can get your attention (and seduction and sensuality will do that) then they have your eyes coveting the person (or people) in the ad, then eventually their product.
The book begins with the “discipline of purity” and says that this is intentional. Isn’t it interesting, to be a “Godly Man” we begin here. Probably because the author understands this is a primary way the enemy trips men up. Because this is such a difficult battle with men, unfortunately, the statistics about porn addiction, adultery and sexual sin inside the church is about the same as it is outside.
The church can have no power apart from purity. So, men – what can we do? I will list a few things from the book that we can add to our spiritual discipline that will help combat this battle that seems to be an uphill battle for many of us.
1. Accountability – we talked about having a “go to guy” last Monday at Upward Men. Find a man
that you can be vulnerable with, who will ask you the tough questions and regularly hold you
accountable. Proverbs 27:17 – As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
2. Prayer – Pray daily and specifically for your purity. Enlist others to pray for you, and pray for
others. James 5:16 – Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another,
that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
3. God’s Word – Fill yourself with God’s Word daily and memorize verses that you can go back to
when dealing with weakness and temptation. Psalm 119:11 – I have stored up your word in my
heart, that I might not sin against you.
4. Mind – What are you taking in? Discipline in this area really can be summed up by the
“discipline of our eyes”. Men, it is impossible for you to maintain a pure mind if you are
watching a lot of TV, on the internet surfing, playing video games and subjecting your mind to
images that are impure. Stats show that in one week you will watch more murders, adulteries
and perversions than our grandfathers read about in their entire lives. Psalm 101:3 – I will not
set before my eyes anything that is worthless…”
5. Boundaries – This is a big one. Men, we need disciplined boundaries around our life. Where we
will go or not go, what we will say and not say, what we will do and not do. We have to refrain
from verbal intimacy with women other than your spouse. Want to dip your toe into something
dangerous? Share your feelings and your frustrations about your wife to another woman.
Never flirt, even as a joke and if you are married and you need to travel or have a meeting with
another woman, bring someone with you.
This is not an easy discipline, purity. It trips a lot of guys up. When it comes to purity, we have to add a lot of other disciplines to make this one work. It’s complicated because the enemy throws things our way to trip us up big time in this. But…if you find true accountability, become a man of prayer, a man of the Word, guard your eyes and set appropriate boundaries – you just put on some armor for this battle that might protect you when the fighting gets fierce.
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