THE PURITY TEST!
Genesis 39:1-20
INTRODUCTION: Joseph had failed The Pride Test, He then passed the Pit Test and the Stewardship Test, now today we will study how Joseph’s character was tested by The Purity Test. Genesis 39:6-10. Even some of God’s greatest blessings in our lives can become troublesome at times. “Joseph was well built and handsome.” Satan can use our God givenblessings to become tests of our character if our God allows him to. Those of you that were blessed with being handsome or beautiful better watch out!
I. WHAT DO YOU CALL ADULTERY AND FORNICATION?
The Test of Purity demands to know what you call adultery and fornication. Let’s see what Joseph called it: Genesis 39:6-9. Joseph called adultery and fornication “a wicked thing!” “A sin against God!” Genesis 39:10-11. All these tests are looking we are looking at in Joseph’s life and in our lives have to do with our character. Big destinies can only be supported by godly character. God will never allow His servants to become ruler over much until we are faithful in little: Luke 16:10-15. God says you cannot serve God and money! What do you say? Sexual purity before God is a character issue. Our God says godly character matters: 1 Peter 2:11. Every believer takes The Purity Test more than once and this test must be passed to get to our God given destiny. The Purity Test is a test of the stewardship of our own body.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.
II. IMPURITY BEGINS IN THE EYES!
Sexual impurity does not begin in our hearts, it begins with our eyes. What did the Scriptures say abut Potiphar’s wife? Genesis 39:7. Where does the Bible tell us David’s lust for the wife of Uriah the Hittite started? 2 Samuel 11:2. Those of you that love magazines that move you to lust or movies that do the same listen to what David said years later in his life: Psalm 101:1-3. Sadly many Christians have fallen for one of Satan’s favorite lies: “It doesn’t hurt to just look, so long as you don’t touch! Our Lord Jesus said: Matthew 5:27-30;
Proverbs 27:20; Matthew 6:22-23. Joseph chose not to look with lust at Potiphar’s wife. Joseph passed The Purity Test because he was convinced that not all that is beautiful was beautiful for him to desire to possess it. Job 31:1: Could that be a verse every young and older man might want to memorize? How should a man look at a woman that is not his wife?
1 Timothy 5:1-2.
III. SEXUAL IMPURITY WILL AFFECT YOUR FAMILY!
If you think that your sexual impurity only affects you, you better know the truth!
Exodus 20:4-6: Now that may not seem fair to you but David’s sin with Bathsheba did not just end with them. David committed the adultery but then his son Ammon raped David’s daughter Tamar. What Potiphar’s wife had for Joseph was not love, it was lust! Any sexual expression outside of marriage is not love but God says it is lust! God blesses marriage that will never be given to sex outside of marriage: Hebrews 13:4.
IV. SEXUAL IMPURITY WILL AFFECT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD!
We, as believers have a covenant relationship with our God. Sexual impurity is to be fled from: 1 Corinthians 6:18-20; John 16:8-11. The Holy Spirit is convicting His people of their sin but when we refuse to listen to His loving rebuke it will affect our relationship with Him: Revelation 3:19-20..
V. SEXUAL IMPURITY WILL AFFECT YOUR FUTURE!
We might ask: “As a slave what did Joseph have to lose by being sexually impure? He was a slave. He seemingly had nothing to lose.” But Joseph had his future God given dream to lose. He had the very destiny God had created him for to loss! What was Potiphar’s wife seeking day after day? Genesis 39:10. She was seeking Joseph sexually. What was Joseph seeking day after day? He was seeking after his God: Genesis 39:8-12.
Why do we so often fall short of seeking our God and His will for our lives? 2 Chronicles 12:13-14. You and I get to choose what we will seek after in our lives: Hebrews 12:1-2. If we will seek after our Lord and walk in His strength we too may pass The Purity Test and move forward to fulfilling God’s will for our lives.