Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Hello, dear ones.

It is an extremely pleasant afternoon. The sun is shining. The air is so still, I can’t see a branch moving. Perfect temperature. We recently returned from our Gospel Sing session at Pheasant Pointe. While there we met with cause for both sadness and rejoicing. One of our dear faithful ladies just passed away this last week—sad to have her gone, but rejoicing to know where she went.

This evening is destined to be an interesting one. Maybe I’ll tell you more tomorrow morning.

Someone dropped off a trailer laden with some timbers that I’ll probably resaw tomorrow. We’ll see.

Have a blessed evening.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Here is another command toward personal responsibility. And you have to agree that it’s really quite reasonable—if we can make a parallel to our physical hygiene. After all, if you don’t keep yourself clean as a non-handicapped adult, who will? The obvious fact is that even if you have an inexhaustible supply of nice pure hot running water, a beautiful luxurious shower enclosure, the best and most effective soap that money can buy, or even the best of intentions—but if you don’t take off those dirty clothes and put your dirty little (or big) body in that enclosure with the water running, suds up and rinse off—and do so regularly—well, without this regular routine, it is impossible to “keep yourself pure.” Instead, it doesn’t take long before you become a little (or big) stinker! That’s just the way it is.

In the first two verses of this chapter, Paul has occasion to use a practical admonition to young Timothy that relates to this matter of keeping himself pure. “Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, WITH ABSOLUTE PURITY” (v. 2). That provides me with some implicit evidence that Paul was not just an ignorant idealistic prude when it comes to this universal phenomenon of gender attraction. He knows what it’s like to grapple with this magnetism—so as to regulate and isolate this good attraction to a good setting—pure before the One Who sees all and knows all—right down to the very thoughts and intents of one’s heart—like lust. I observe that I don’t need to go to the mall or swimming pool to be hassled by lust and its variations. My male nature is still with me even in church. So escaping inescapable exposure is not the solution—management and maintenance IS.

Of course, not all that contaminates the soul and body is sexy. In another letter, Paul presents a closely related order: “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us PURIFY OURSELVES from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). So who is responsible for my psycho-spiritual hygiene? The clear answer—ME! I am foolish to assign it all to God. He provides the resources—but I must apply the resources. Once again—“Keep yourself pure.”