Purity and holiness:

A biblical response to sexual

immorality

HOME ARCHIVES 2024 OCTOBER Ramon J. Canals, DMin, is

ministerial association
PURITY AND HOLINESS:
secretary for the General
Conference of Seventh-day
Adventists, Silver Spring,
Maryland, United States.

onvicted by the Holy Spirit, a young

C
man approached me after listening to
a sermon emphasizing the importance
of obedience to the Word of God. OCTOBER 2024

“How can I live a holy life when I am involved in a

homosexual relationship?” he asked. “I want to give
my life to the Lord Jesus, but I am not interested in
women; I like men. Can God somehow accept me?”

My answer was yes.

“Jesus wants you to come to Him as you are,” I
explained, “but He loves you so much that He will not
leave you as you are. He will transform your life. It
does not matter whether you are currently in a
homosexual or heterosexual relationship or what kind
of sexual sins you are struggling with. Rather, He
wants to work with you and make you pure and holy.”

Deciding to end his homosexual relationship, he gave

his life to Christ and later became the youth director of
his local church. He realized that the most important
relationship in his life was the one he had with Jesus
Christ.

In a world where moral standards and societal norms

continually shift, the biblical principles of purity and
holiness offer a steadfast guide. Sexual immorality, a
pervasive issue throughout history, is
comprehensively addressed in the Scriptures. The call
MORE ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE
to purity and holiness goes beyond mere abstinence
from immoral acts—it involves a profound
Sexual intimacy:
transformation of heart and mind.
The power of
THE COVENANT OF THE HEART connection

Jeremiah 31:33 states, “But this is the covenant that I Embracing human
will make with the house of Israel after those days, sexuality:
says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and
write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and Guided by God’s Word
they shall be My people.”1 Such a covenant signifies a
shift from external adherence to internal Return to Eden:
transformation. God’s desire is for His people not only
God’s design for
to follow the rules in a legalistic way but also to have
human sexuality in the
His principles deeply embedded in their hearts. Such Song of Songs
internalization of God’s law leads to a life marked by
genuine purity and holiness. Author Ellen G. White In the image of God:
asserts, “When the law of God is written in the heart it
will be exhibited in a pure and holy life.”2 Holiness is The powerful and
the setting apart of a people who love the Lord and
beautiful
delight in obedience.
Religious news from
God’s people are to focus their minds on heavenly around the world
things, not earthly ones. Some of the earthly things the
Bible warns believers to keep out of their hearts are
sexual sins: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs
to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, VIEW ALL ISSUE CONTENTS
lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry” (Col. 3:5,
NIV). The reason is that we have been raised with
Christ to a new life—one of holiness and purity.

DIGITAL DELIVERY
PURITY IN THOUGHT AND DEED
If you're a print subscriber, we'll
Internalizing God’s law results in a life that strives for
complement your print copy of Ministry
purity in every aspect. Jesus highlighted this when He
said in Matthew 5:28, “But I say to you that whoever with an electronic version.

looks at a woman to lust for her has already SIGN UP

committed adultery with her in his heart.” Purity
begins with our thoughts and intentions. Our thoughts
and beliefs are intertwined with our character and
destiny. Therefore, Philippians 4:8 advises, “Finally, RECENT ISSUES See All

brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things

are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things
are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things
are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is
anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
Learning and practicing the core message of this verse
can bridge the gap between our values, choices, and
goals, thus leading toward a life enriched with divine
grace and holiness.

ACHIEVING THE GOAL

But such a life requires surrender, growth, and
purposeful thinking. It demands a continual
connection with Christ. Change is impossible through
our own power but is possible in His. Jesus declared,
“Without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). By
prayer and study of the Word, we know Him more and
more and remain connected with Him. His Word has
transforming power (Heb. 4:12). So we must take the
necessary time to incorporate His Word into our lives.
We can achieve this goal by being intentional in our
thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors, thereby growing
spiritually. It will undoubtedly require an honest
desire for God, persistence, and effort, but the
outcome will be worth it.
“The danger that lies before those living in these last
days,” Ellen G. White tells us, “is the absence of pure
religion, the absence of heart holiness. The converting
power of God has not wrought in transforming their
characters. They profess to believe sacred truths as did
the Jewish nation; but in their failing to practice the
truth, they are ignorant both of the Scriptures and the
power of God. The power and influence of God’s law
are around about, but not within the soul, renewing it
in true holiness.”3

We should always strive to think noble, pure thoughts.

As Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so
is he.”

However, we cannot achieve purity and holiness by

simply thinking about it. Instead, we should
contemplate Jesus, the embodiment of purity. Focusing
on Him will transform us into His image, aligning our
minds with His will and leading to actions that reflect
His purity because “our minds take the level of the
things on which our thoughts dwell.”4

The Bible further emphasizes in Romans 12:2: “Do not

conform to the pattern of this world but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you
will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His
good, pleasing, and perfect will” (NIV). Such
transformation is a continuous process of allowing the
Holy Spirit to renew our minds and align our thoughts
with God’s Word.

THE DANGER OF SUPERFICIAL

HOLINESS
A significant danger facing today’s church is a lack of
genuine heart holiness. Some may claim to believe in
fundamental truths but fail to let them shape their
characters. Such superficial adherence leads to
complacency and a lack of proper understanding of
God’s will. As Jesus pointed out in Matthew 15:8,
“These people honor me with their lips, but their
hearts are far from me” (NIV). True holiness is
impossible without God’s transformative power.

Jesus criticized the Pharisees for their outward show

of piety that lacked inward transformation, saying,
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which
look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full
of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In
the same way, on the outside, you appear to people as
righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy
and wickedness” (Matt. 23:27, 28, NIV).

THE ROLE OF SPIRITUAL LEADERS

God’s design for pastors as spiritual leaders is that
their lives should exemplify their preaching and
teaching. Our character and home life should testify to
the truths we proclaim. The influence of a person’s life
often speaks louder than his or her words, as noted in
2 Corinthians 3:2, 3, “You yourselves are our letter,
written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.
You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result
of our ministry, written not with ink but with the
Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on
tablets of human hearts” (NIV).

Genuine character, encompassing holiness, purity,

humility, and fairness, emanates from the heart and
exerts tremendous power and influence.

LIVING A LIFE OF PURITY AND

HOLINESS
Living a life of purity and holiness is not about
conforming to a set of external rules but about a
radical transformation from within. Beginning with
allowing the Holy Spirit to write God’s law on our
hearts, it is sustained by a continuous relationship
with God, who alone can keep us from sin and
impurity. As Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden your
word in my heart that I might not sin against you”
(NIV). Internalizing God’s Word is a vital safeguard
against sin.

The Bible provides further guidance: “It is God’s will

that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid
sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to
control your own body in a way that is holy and
honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who
do not know God” (1 Thess. 4:3–5, NIV). This passage
emphasizes the necessity of self-control and the
pursuit of sanctification.

THE INFLUENCE OF A HOLY LIFE

Those who embody the transformation of heart
holiness create an atmosphere of purity around them,
influencing others positively. “You are the light of the
world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither
do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.
Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to
everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light
shine before others, that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:14–16,
NIV). A life of purity and holiness shines brightly in a
world darkened by sin, drawing others toward Christ.

CHURCH NEEDS TO BE A SOURCE

OF HOPE AND HEALING
The church should be a source of hope and healing
rather than shame for those struggling with sexual
battles. Therefore, pastors need to make four
foundational decisions for the church to become a
place of hope and healing:5

1. Confront our own shortcomings. We are “uncut

stones” in the temple of God (Deut. 27:5, 6, NASB),
and we need to face our “uncutness.” It means
acknowledging and addressing our own issues, no
matter how painful, in order to have credibility to
help others.6
 2. Inspire people to pursue their God-given dreams.
Helping individuals recognize their gifts and see
God’s work in their lives will lead them to trust in
His power to help them overcome their struggles.7

3. Proclaim God’s grace. Negative sermons create

negative Christians, and exhortation without
application leads to frustration.8

4. Be willing to make sacrifices. People dealing with

sexual issues often face various challenges, and the
pastor must be prepared to do whatever needs to
happen to create a place of hope and healing.9

TRANSFORMATION AND RENEWAL

In the face of sexual immorality and other forms of
moral decay, the biblical call to purity and holiness
remains clear and compelling. It summons us to allow
God to write His law in our hearts, resulting in a life
that reflects His holy character. As we strive to live out
this call, our lives become powerful testimonies of the
transformative power of God’s love and truth. By
seeking heart holiness and living out the principles of
the Bible, we not only resist the forces of immorality
but also draw others toward the light of God’s truth. As
1 Peter 1:15, 16 reminds us, “But just as he who called
you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written:
‘Be holy, because I am holy’ ” (NIV). Living a life of
purity and holiness is an ongoing journey of
transformation and renewal grounded in a deep
relationship with God and a steadfast commitment to
His Word. As a result, we become living testimonies,
shining with God’s light and truth in a world that
desperately needs both.

1. Unless otherwise noted, Scripture is from the New King

James Version.^
2. Ellen G. White, This Day with God (Washington, DC: Review
and Herald), 146.^
3. White, 146.^
4. Ellen G. White, “ ‘Seek Those Things Which Are Above,’ ”
Signs of the Times, January 9, 1893, 7.^
5. Ted Roberts, Pure Desire (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1999),
237.^
6. Roberts, 241.^
7. Roberts, 245.^
8. Roberts, 247.^
9. Roberts, 248.^

MinistryMagazine.org is an © 2024 General Conference of Seventh-day

Adventists
official website of the Seventh-
12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring , MD
day Adventist World Church 20904 USA 301-680-6000