February 13, 2004
Volume 2: Issue 2
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with Brent Crowe
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Ahhh February, love is in the air. Chocolates, $5 cards printed on
recycled paper, and little teddy bears that glow in the face are being
purchased all across this country. It only seems fitting that we deal with
the issue of purity during this month of love. Let us begin by defining
what we necessarily mean by “purity.” It has been suggested and even
taught that purity is merely abstaining from sexual immorality. What is
portrayed on the Internet, in music and on television and movies
oftentimes causes us to sit back, nod our heads and whisper to ourselves
“I’m not that bad.” How dangerous it is to define purity by what we don’t
do or rather by staying one step behind Hollywood. If this is what we gage
a pure life by, then purity tomorrow will not be the same as what is
today. It will be ever-evolving based on the actions of those in front of
the camera or how much this generation will “not do.” On that note let me
make a radical suggestion: Purity is not defined by what one doesn’t do;
rather it is defined by what one does do. It could be said that the
opposite of impurity is sanctification. Therefore our working definition
of purity will be the continual process by which the Lord transforms my
life by emptying out all that is not of Him on a daily basis so that I may
be pure and holy before Him.
So then how does one live life in such a
manner as to have passion for purity and holiness? Our answer can be found
in 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.
A pure life stamps this issue with
a sense of urgency! (v1)
Paul begins his discussion on
purity by stating, “brethren, we urge and exhort you…” These two verbs
used combine to communicate that he is making an urgent request. A pure
life is one that is driven by a sense of urgency. To be an individual that
is motivated, one must possess equally the elements of desire and
discipline.
A pure life is
driven by an unbridled passion to please God (v1)
At the heart of all sin is the desire to
please self or others over God. Paul is suggesting a very proactive
approach to being pure. Rather than simply preparing for the moment of
temptation, we should move forward walking in the Lord and position our
lives to capture the moments at hand for His glory.
A passion for purity is
driven by the commands of God to obey (v2-3)
The word
“commandments” is a military term that has to do with orders being handed
down. A soldier is not given a choice concerning the orders he is given.
They have a direct relation with the mission and for believers, there is a
necessity to view purity not as a decision I make but rather a decision I
made when I gave my life to Christ.
A passion for purity is
driven by the realization of exhaustive worship (v4-5)
The constant offering up of each
individual’s vessel before the Lord in such a manner as to honor and
glorify Him must be the goal of every Christian. The distinction must not
be made between worship and purity for the pure life is a life pleasing to
God.
A passion for purity is
driven by the consequence of God’s judgment (v6-8)
“No sin
that a person commits has more built-in pitfalls than sexual sin. It has
broken more marriages, shattered more homes, caused more heartache and
disease, and destroyed more lives than drugs and alcohol combined.” Dr.
John MacArthur |
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with
Luke Lin
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Recent
criticism of Mel Gibson’s Passion has launched a full-scale debate
on claims that Christianity is anti-Semitic in nature. The movie gives an
exhaustive portrayal of the last twelve hours in the life of Christ,
depicting in great detail the story surrounding his arrest, crucifixion,
and resurrection.
The main
point of this film is that we are all guilty for Christ’s death.
Christians believe that Christ’s crucifixion is simultaneously the source
of humanity’s greatest responsibility and our greatest hope – we don’t
deserve his sacrifice for us, but yet, it was specifically for us and our
sin that Christ chose to die. Claims that the film and its inherent Gospel
message are anti-Semitic are unsound: the movie will not incite any of its
watchers to begin hating Jews. Anti-Semitism was never an intended goal of
the movie’s producers or the Gospel’s authors. In fact, Scriptures were
written by Jews, have been preserved by Jews, concerns Jews, involves the
disciples and apostles who were Jews, and centers on Jesus Christ, who was
himself a Jew. Genuine Christianity fosters much respect for Judaism and
for the heritage of our faith; it certainly does not provoke animosity
towards those who are not Christian, and most certainly not against the
Jewish people. The fact that Jews and Gentiles were both responsible for
the death of Christ underscores the fact that we are all guilty because
sin is something that has affected us all: sin is universal.
Our
responsibility is to engage the culture. Let’s not miss out on an
incredible opportunity in which to connect our friends and our neighbors
with Christ. Many films have been characterized as “life-changing,” but I
assure you, the scope of Passion offers change that lasts an
eternity.
The Passion opens in
theaters nationwide on February 25, 2004.
More articles about
Passion:
Newsweek: "Who
Killed Jesus?" (warning: graphic photos)
Crosswalk.com:
Response by Dr. Al Mohler, President of Southern Seminary |
featuring Chris Crowe
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Looking back at my
SLU experience in high school, it is hard to pick just one
lesson that really stood out the most in my life. We can
all remember Dr. Jay chiming one of his famous mantras each
lesson and guaranteeing that if we applied them, our lives
would be forever changed.
The lesson, “and
then some” certainly attributed to a great change in mine. In high school, I chose to take the higher academic road,
pushing myself in honors classes. I didn’t just want to
graduate, but to go “and then some” and graduate with honors.
In the Time Management and Goal Setting sessions that summer,
I set two goals. One was to graduate high school one
year early and another was to attend an Ivy League college.
Lofty goals I know, but I was determined that through “and
then some” attitudes and hard work, I could do it.
My sophomore year
of high school, I went to my counselors and administrators
with my plan of early graduation. They actually laughed and
told me it could not be done! But with all I had learned at SLU about always going for your dreams and then some, I didn’t
let their opinions stop me. I told my parents that I felt I
could challenge myself more and accomplish my goal if I
stopped going to high school and enrolled in a home school
study course by video. My parents, who have always
encouraged me to do anything I set my mind to, began helping
make this a reality.
After finishing my
sophomore year, I immediately began my home schooling. I
finished my junior and senior year in one year! After a lot
of work and receiving much praise from family and friends, I
decided that reaching this goal was not enough. I still
wanted to go to an Ivy League college. I had always dreamed
of going to Harvard as a little girl so with my parents full
support, I applied. Amazingly, I got in! I have since
graduated from Harvard and am currently pursuing my master’s
in crisis and addiction counseling.
While I had
always had the potential to achieve these things, I didn’t
know how to or where to begin. Student Leadership University
changed all that. It gave me the tools that absolutely
changed my life. |
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Our annual
Youth Pastors Summit here in Orlando is almost full! If
you are a youth pastor or are involved in youth ministry in
any aspect, you will not want to miss out on this year's
incredible line-up including dynamic speakers such as David
Nasser, Ed Young, Bo Boshers, and Bob Reccord. Space is
limited, so reserve
your spots today for this free summit which will enhance your
ministry and motivate you to excellence.
Our
website has
recently been enhanced for your surfing pleasure! With our new
site, we hope that we can facilitate your requests for
information with greater ease. Please leave us
feedback on any comments or suggestions!
Don't forget
about the Super Early Bird deadline, which is quickly
approaching! In order to receive the best program discounts,
be sure to
register by March 15! As always, feel free to call
or to e-mail with questions or requests. We are eager to be of
service to you!
Happy
Valentine's Day to you from all of us at SLU!
To view past
editions of The Edge, check out our archive
here.
Questions or comments are always welcome. E-mail us at
edge@studentleadership.net
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February 2004
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On the
Edge
Brent Crowe,
Dean of Students at SLU, defines the urgency of purity
and relates how to develop passion for purity. |
Edge Ledge
Your section
for culture and Christianity takes a look at the
Passion controversy. How should Christians
respond? |
Life on the Edge
Read the story
of an SLU alum who applied what she learned at SLU and
ended up attending Harvard University! Have a
story? Send your story to us at
edge@studentleadership.net
This month, we
feature Chris Crowe. |
Cutting Edge
What's up at SLU? Get the latest scoop on
what's happening here at Student Leadership University. |
Featured Articles
Check out the
featured articles of the month, including shocking
articles about teens and sex, along with articles
about the Passion controversy |
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Follow the links for the
full article. |
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Should Lust Really Be a
Sin?
A leading
researcher says that lust has been wrongly labeled as a
vice and should be relabeled as...
Read full article |
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Home Alone and Having Sex
Of all
sexually active high school students, 91% of them...
Read full article |
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Sex Museum
Hollywood
museum celebrates the perversion of sex by...
Read full article |
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Sex Education
Most teenagers
are getting their sexual education from the popular show...
Read full article |
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Super Bowl Exposure
Chuck Colson
discusses why the Janet Jackson Super Bowl incident was
not a surprise...
Read full article |
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Dirty Vocabulary
Kids develop
their vocabulary and SAT scores by...
Read full article |
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Passion Controversy
Mel Gibson's
upcoming film is causing big controversy just before its
opening...
Read full article |
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Passion and Liberal
Media
James Dobson
discusses why the liberal media hates the upcoming
Passion movie...
Read full article |
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6,000 Passion
Tickets
A couple in
Texas purchase 6,000 tickets for the Passion...
Read full article |
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"Nothing
is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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"Our character
is what we do when we think no one is looking."
H. Jackson Brown, Jr. |
"We must train
our hearts to see beyond this world into the next."
Joseph M. Stowell |
"The strength
of a nation is derived from the integrity of its homes."
Confucius |
"Offer your
bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is
your spiritual act of worship."
Romans 12:1 NIV |
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We want to hear from you! Do you
have a thoughtful response to the articles here? Have you
written a paper on one of the issues we're discussing this month
or have discussed? Send it to us at
edge@studentleadership.net |
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Established in 1994, Student Leadership University's
purpose is to empower students to conquer the future!
Combining hands-on experimental learning with a dynamic
classroom setting, students are equipped to influence
their generation for Christ with confidence.
For more information, visit us at
www.studentleadership.net or call us toll-free at
888-260-2900.
Edge Executive Editor:
Chris Crowe
Edge Associate Editor:
Luke Lin
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