Welcome back! This is my third article in the Christian purity for singles series. We have already talked about breaking ungodly soul ties and purging your life and space. This week, I want to focus on the importance of clean thinking as a Christian single. What do I mean by clean thinking? I mean that we should run our thoughts through the Holy Spirit x-ray to ensure that they are in keeping with the Word of God. Let’s explore the importance of clean thinking in our purity walk as Christian singles.
Pursuing Clean Thinking
Clean thinking requires that our minds are constantly being regenerated by the Word of God. As I have shared before, the Lord led me through a series of steps to walk in celibacy before Him. It was not just a matter of cutting off soul ties and purging my life and space. I had to do work on the inside as well.
As I pursued a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, He began to convict me of certain thought patterns. The Holy Spirit would point me to repentance whenever my thoughts strayed into sin. I would immediately repent and actively seek to replace those thoughts with good, pure ones. My pursuit of purity means that I have to sacrifice my thoughts and ways to the Lord:
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
It’s clear from the scriptures that our minds have to be renewed in Christ. When our minds are renewed, then we will be able to discern what is good and acceptable to our Savior. We will also know the perfect will of God for our lives.
The Link Between Our Thoughts and Our Actions
We know the familiar scripture:
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
Therefore, we need to have a firm grip on our minds, because they are the source of our lives and the things that we experience. When the Pharisees accused Jesus and His disciples of eating with unwashed hands, Jesus explained that defilement comes from within, from our thoughts:
So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
As I sought to walk closer with the Lord, He also revealed to me that I need to be careful about the books, music, TV programs, movies, and social media that I consumed. The first purge that I did was just one of many that I would do. The Holy Spirit convicts me about my entertainment choices even now. I do not own a TV because I decided that I didn’t want to be hit by a steady stream of info from a world driven by everything except Jesus Christ. I am careful about the books that I read. Also, I only listen to gospel music as led by the Holy Spirit, because not everything labelled as “gospel” actually glorifies Christ. I pretty much don’t watch movies anymore. Instead, I watch special programs online that I have spiritually vetted. I don’t really follow social media either.
Everything that I partake in, I ask myself: “How does this glorify Jesus Christ?” If I can’t say how it glorifies Christ, then away it goes! I am doing all that I can to walk in purity and righteousness before the Lord.
My brothers and sisters, our entertainment is not just about relaxing. Everything that we read, look at, and listen to, enters into our minds (whether we will it to be so or not!) and shapes our thinking. So, you must be led by the Holy Spirit in every area of your life. Our thinking guides our behaviors, which shapes our habits, which then forms our characters. Therefore, in order for us to have a godly character, then we must start with our thought life. A mind fully renewed in Christ brings forth a righteous character.
Clean Thinking Leads to Pure Actions
Our heavenly Father calls us into righteous living by His grace and power.1 As we have established, our thoughts guide our actions. So, bad thinking leads to bad actions. By the same token, clean thinking, good thoughts lead to good actions.
Here is one scripture that shows the contrast between bad and good thought patterns and actions:
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
In the above scripture, we see clear examples of sinful actions (that sprung from bad thinking) that will bar us from entering heaven. A little leaven smooths the entire lump, a “little sin” corrupts absolutely and destroys our divine destinies.2 Therefore, I encourage us to cut off all forms of unrighteousness.
This scripture also discusses the elements of the Fruit of the Spirit. As Christian singles devoted to clean thinking and clean living, our lives will begin to radiate the love, joy, and peace of Jesus Christ. We will begin to exemplify longsuffering (or patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. In addition, we can close out with this big one for us as singles: self-control. If we are going to walk in purity before Christ, then we must exercise self-control.
It’s Possible to be Pure in Our Minds
Although it is difficult to pursue clean thinking, it is possible. It’s a matter of replacing our carnal thought patterns with thoughts that are grounded in the Word of God and endorsed by His Holy Spirit. As we grow closer to Jesus Christ, we are able to resist the temptations of the devil and to successfully withstand his attacks.3 Then, we will be true soldiers and ambassadors of Jesus Christ.4 I want to leave you with two scriptures:
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.Finally, 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.
May Jesus’ blessings, peace, and wisdom be upon us all.
Sophia.