We continue to look at the Man of God and specifically we are diving into what it means to be a man of moral purity.  Today, we will begin to examine portals or excesses that cause us to lack discipline. The lack of discipline in one area leads to weakness in other areas. Satan exploits areas of weaknesses and it should be no surprise to us how quickly it can lead to sexual immorality and lust.

The portal metaphor refers to leakiness in our life. These are areas that Satan exploits. Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us that we must lay aside every encumbrance that may lead to a dangerous liaison, friendship, worldly association, temptation or weakness. We must be discerning and wise to close off those portals and reduce/eliminate Satan’s opportunity to exploit them.

1. The Portal of Friendships

• It is difficult to manage/keep friendships with pagans; they have different ethics.
• It is our role to help unbelievers learn the path to be saved, not to give them a better life here and now.
• Friendships with unbelievers must move toward the gospel.
• There is no harmony with darkness and light. The relationship is always on edge, because:
  • They suppress truth in unrighteousness.
  • You live for Christ.
• We want friendships that challenge us to eliminate encumbrances.  We must jettison friendships that encourage us to relax convictions.
• Build relationships with people that are very godly and will challenge you by asking tough questions.
• However, if you build relationships with superficial people, they will lead to superficial results.

2. The Portal of Defiling Environments & Media

• This is getting comfortable and involved with things that Christ died for. These erode moral purity.
• Undignified and salacious speech should not be just endured. It should torture our conscience as we are sensitized to flee blasphemous words and situations.
• Are we involved in situations where perversions are celebrated? When a salacious joke is spoken, do we celebrate it with a smile or a laugh?
• Ephesians 5:1-6 tells us to be imitators of God.
  • We cannot walk in love, if we are consuming others for our enjoyment.
  • Verse 4 addresses speech. Morals and convictions are eroded and then our speech quickly changes, too.
  • What comes out of our mouth reveals our heart (Matthew 12).
• Do we celebrate crime in a movie? Think about those plots where the criminal life is exalted, and they get away with it. That cannot be what entertains us. Truth, justice, and righteousness are to be celebrated, not the opposite.
• Violence in media desensitizes the conscience.
• Sports designed to crush and dominate others is a celebration of brutality. Sports are to be athletic endeavors where competition and points are the deciding factor.
• Voyeurism or watching steamy scenes does not promote a life toward the highest pursuits of Christ.
• These open wide portals toward immorality and lust.

3. The Portal of Idleness

• We need time to rest and think.  In God’s common grace, He may give us hobbies and leisure, which we may enjoy.
• The portal of idleness encroaches because we love our leisure, or we begin to idolize times when we can simply check-out. 
• Be careful, a portal of idleness causes laxed convictions. Satan will exploit our “chill time” by introducing temptations when we are vulnerable to them.
• 1 Cor. 6:12 – Don’t be mastered by anything.  This is a statement that should authoritatively rule your life.
• Idols are those things which we:
  • Sin to get.
  • Sin to keep.