Strengthening Your Grip - Jared McCormick 4_25_2021
Teachers
Lesson Summary
The class began with Jared asking participants to consider what "purity" meant, quickly revealing that many equate it solely with sexual purity. He clarified that biblical purity encompasses the whole person—mind, heart, and body—and is rooted in sanctification, the process of being set apart for God. Using 1 Thessalonians 4, Jared highlighted Paul's contrast between sexual immorality and holy living, noting that the apostle even warns believers not to wrong their brothers in this matter, suggesting a communal responsibility. He then explained the Greek term "porneia" and distinguished modern pornography as a visual extension of sexual immorality, illustrating how technology has shifted the arena of temptation. Turning to Mark 7:17‑23, Jared showed how Jesus taught that external things—food, washing rituals—do not defile a person; rather, it is what comes from the heart (evil thoughts, theft, covetousness, etc.) that makes someone unclean. He connected this to contemporary media influences that erode moral standards. Concluding with Galatians 5:16‑19, he emphasized the ongoing conflict between the Spirit and the sinful nature, urging believers to live by the Spirit to avoid gratifying sinful desires, and reminding the class that true purity requires a heart‑centered transformation.
Key Scriptures
It is God's will that you should be sanctified. ... In this matter, the matter of sexual immorality, no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. ... That each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen who do not know God. ... For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.