WEDNESDAY June 18, 2025
The Pursuit of God
Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
2 Timothy 2:22
Paul gave another exhortation to Timothy, but it applies to all young people. Christians are to flee youthful lusts. Younger adults have a greater temptation to fall into sexual sin. That is why in 1 Corinthians 6:18 NLT, we find more good counsel: Run from sexual sin! The same verse ends with the reason for why they should resist this sin: No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.
First Corinthians 6:19-20 continues to explain why it is a sin against your own body:
...do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
The seriousness of sexual sin is seen in the backdrop of God’s holiness dwelling in a person’s body. We belong to God, He purchased us at such a costly price––the blood of His very own Son. With that in mind, think about the consequences of sexual sin: Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).
What about the consequences of pregnancy? There is emotional trauma when a boyfriend leaves, and the girlfriend is left to raise a child with feelings of being used and abandoned. God’s way is best––marriage.
What are Christians to pursue? Followers of Christ are to pursue God––righteousness, faith, love and peace. As we have called on the Lord for our salvation, let us continue our walk with Him with purity of heart. God knows the desires of your heart. He loves you. Trust His plan for your life.
The impulse to pursue God originates with God, but the outworking of that impulse is our following hard after Him; and all the time we are pursuing Him we are already in His hand.
~A.W. Tozer~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
