Psalm 119. I'll read verses 9 to 16, the section marked bait. If you notice that it's broken down according to the consonants in the Hebrew alphabet. And it is an acrostic.

So, for instance, all of the verses 9 to 16 in the Hebrew Bible all begin with the letter B, or Beit in Hebrew. In verses 1 to 8, they all begin with the Aleph, or the A. And then in 17 to 24, with the Gimel, and so on and so forth. It's a literary masterpiece that the psalmist has constructed.

Its central theme is the excellence, the majesty, and the glory of God's Holy Word. I'll begin reading in Psalm 119 at verse 9. How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your Word.

With my whole heart I have sought You. Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments. Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O Lord, teach me Your statutes.

With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies. as much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts and contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes.

I will not forget Your Word." Well, let us pray.

Opening Prayer

Father, we thank You for the Word of God that is written up here. We thank You for the truth expressed just in this short section of Holy Scripture. And give us a mindset, like unto the psalmist, Give us a delight in the truth, and may we value it and prize it more than much fine gold. We know that Your Law makes wise the simple.

We know that Your Word makes us wiser than all of our counselors and teachers. We know that Word ultimately reveals to us the glory of the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. How we thank You, Lord God, for the Gospel, how we thank You for Your Law, and how we would pray that your Holy Spirit would grant us grace now and lead us as we consider this section of Scripture. We pray again that you would forgive us for all of our sins and our transgressions, and we pray through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Amen. Well,

Introduction

our focus this evening is going to be specifically on verse 9. There is a question asked and an answer provided. The Bible contains many excellent questions and does give us many excellent answers. For one instance, Job asks in chapter 9, verse 2, how can a man be righteous before God?

It's the most important question a man, a woman, a boy, or a girl could ever ponder. How can a man be righteous before God? Well, in many respects, Psalm 119, verse 9, is right up there alongside of it. The psalmist asks, how can a young man cleanse his way?

And then he gives the answer by taking heed according to your word. So we will proceed very simply tonight. First,

The Question Posed: Man's Need of Cleansing

we'll look at the question posed, and then secondly, the answer given. But as we look at the question posed, we note an assumption, a presupposition, a conviction hidden in the psalmist's words. When he says, how can a young man cleanse his way, he infers, implies, and concludes that a young man's way stands in need of cleansing. In other words, the psalmist assumes the doctrine of sin.

He wouldn't ask the question if that was not a reality. He would not ask the question and answer the question if the presence of sin was not a reality in the lives of men and women and boys and girls. In fact, children, in many respects, this is a text specifically addressed to you. How can a young man cleanse his way?

Well, the Bible tells us much about In fact, yesterday morning in our study through Burtov's systematic theology, we considered the doctrine of total depravity and the doctrine of total inability. And I want to just sketch a few of those particular passages here as we reflect upon the psalmist's question. How can a young man cleanse his way, assumes the fact that his way stands in need of cleansing? Well,

Total Depravity Defined

total depravity does not mean utter depravity. Total depravity does not mean a man is as bad as he can possibly be. Total depravity doesn't mean we're all Charles Manson, we're all axe murderers, we're all Stalin, we're all that wicked. It doesn't teach that.

It's not utter depravity. Rather, it means that every faculty of man, every part, Every power, every faculty of his nature is corrupt. His mind, his intellect, his emotions, his will, his conscience, his body— everything is affected by the Fall. It is total depravity.

I want to sketch just a few verses. There are a multitude that we could look at, but beginning in Genesis— good to start at the beginning in Genesis 6, prior to the Flood. We read this comment, verse 5, "'Then Yahweh saw, that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Notice in verses 11 and 12, "...the earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth." Notice in chapter 8, Chapter 8, specifically, in verse 21, this is after the flood.

This is when Noah is emerging from the ark. He builds an altar to the Lord. He offers up these clean animals and every clean bird and burnt offerings on the altar. And we read this statement in 8.21, and the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. then the Lord said in his heart, I will never again curse the ground for man's sake, although the imagination or the intent or thought of man's heart is evil from his youth." So the doctrine of total depravity is not simply something confined to the federal theology of the Apostle Paul, but it begins early in the Genesis record.

Turn to the Psalms, specifically Psalm 51. Psalm 51, a Psalm of David, when he is engaged In recording the record of his own sin with Bathsheba and Uriah, this is his repentance to the Lord God Most High. And when he rehearses his sinfulness, his downward tendency, he traces it back to the womb. And in Psalm 51, verse 5, he says, Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.

David does not think the conjugal relationship between husband and wife is sin. God made that, and He made it good. What David is saying is that as soon as David was, he was in sin. We and Adam died.

But as well, notice in Psalm 58 and verse 3. Psalm 58 and verse 3. The wicked are estranged from the womb. They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

Now, this is not a popular teaching, to be sure. We don't like to look at our bundles of joy in such a light. But this is divine commentary on the heart of even babies. The wicked are estranged from the womb.

They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. Now, you might suggest, well, that refers to the Stalins, that refers to the Mansons, that refers to the politicians. It can't refer to the rank in the file. It most certainly does.

I don't think it takes long for parents to discover a sinful bent in their progeny. It does not take long for them to discover that selfishness and that self-willedness and that rebellion against lawful authority. God says in His Word, honor your father and your mother. And as I said, it doesn't take long for parents to see that this is not always the case with their delightful bundles of joy.

Proverbs 10, 23. Again, just a sketch here. Proverbs 10, 23. To do evil is like sport to a fool, but a man of understanding has wisdom.

Ecclesiastes, specifically Ecclesiastes 7, 29. Ecclesiastes 7, 29. Truly this only I have found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices, they have sought out many schemes. Your schemes, your devices may not be mine.

We may differ in terms of the particular sins that we engage in, but we all have that. We all have propensities. We all have that downward tendency. We all have that dark bent in our hearts to pursue schemes that God says are wicked.

The prophet Jeremiah, Jeremiah 13 and verse 23. The sketching of total depravity at this particular point. As we look at the presupposition behind the question, how can a young man cleanse his way? Jeremiah 13, 23, Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots?

Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil. The black man can change himself into a white man or a leopard can change its spots into the stripes of a zebra, well, then you'll be able to start doing that which is right and good, apart from God's grace. We know that black men can't change their skins to white. We know that white men can't change their skins to black.

We know that leopards can't change their spots into the zebra's stripes. So the point of the passage is to highlight and underscore how sinful man is, and how they stand in need of divine grace. Notice in 17.9 in the prophet Jeremiah, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it?

Again, this isn't positive self-esteem teaching. This is not the sorts of things that people really read and really feel good about themselves. But it's all designed to show us our need for the Savior, designed to show us how we stand before a holy God. We'll bypass several others in the Old Testament.

You can turn to the New Testament, specifically Romans 3. Again, the doctrine of total depravity. The presupposition is that man's way stands in need of cleansing. And not just man, how can a young man cleanse his way?

You know, parents, I think we do err when we look at our children and they're doing sinful things, and we don't address it as sinful things. When we don't tell them, they're violating the law of God. when we don't tell them that they will ultimately answer to a holy God, when we don't hold them accountable to what is revealed in Scripture. We just try and say, well, you know, it's their age. They're 2 now, or they're 15, or they're 14, and that's just what kids their age do.

No, it isn't. They're in sin, and they need to repent, and they need to forsake that sin. We mustn't coddle them. We mustn't pander to them.

We must deal with them biblically and righteously. Notice in Romans 3 verse 9, what then? Are we better than they? Not at all.

We have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one. I realize that the natural inclination or tendency of our hearts is to change it just a little bit. There is none righteous, no not one, except for me.

I mean, I'm, after all, a very excellent person. I'm a young man who always does what I'm supposed to. There's none who understands, except for me, of course, I really understand. There's none who seeks after God.

Listen to that statement. There is none who seeks after God. Say, well, I know religious people. I know Jehovah's Witnesses.

I know Mormons. I know Muslims. I know these people, and they're seeking God. Not the triune God revealed in Holy Scripture, not the God who is from everlasting to everlasting, not the one whom the angels say, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is filled with His glory.

They seek a God after their own manufacturing, but they don't seek the real, true, and living God. It is grace that taught our heart to fear. It is grace that turns us from our own waywardness and brings us to God. They have all turned aside.

They have together become unprofitable. There is none who does good, no, not one. Their throat is an open tomb, with their tongues they have practiced deceit. The poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.

Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes. Isn't this exactly what the problem in society is today?

Whether young or old, there is no fear of God before the eyes of men. And instead of the church, as I suggested this morning, preaching on sin, preaching the law, preaching the necessity of blood atonement, we just want to make people feel good. We want them to have a solid and a robust self-esteem. We just want them to be stable or learn a few principles on how to be a better them.

That is not going to meet the necessity of the day. Man is in sin and in rebellion against God, and it's Paul's gospel alone that will meet the urgency. It will meet the need that is presented to us by such a position. Notice Ephesians 2, this will be the last one in our sample of texts on the doctrine of total depravity.

Ephesians 2 verse 1, And you who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others." You see, sin is not simply confined to the body. It is the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. We sin perfectly well without flesh. We have enough in our heads, we have enough in our hearts to damn us for an eternity of eternity.

So you see, the doctrine of total depravity does not mean we're as bad as we could possibly be, but it means that every part, every power, every faculty of our nature is corrupt. Our mind, our intellect, our emotion, our will, our conscience, our body. All is affected by our fall into sin in Adam. But it also includes the doctrine of total inability.

How can a young man cleanse his way? He's not only totally depraved, he's totally unable. And

Total Inability Defined

by total inability, I mean that a man does not possess the ability in and of himself to choose savingly for Jesus. He does not possess the ability in himself to choose savingly for Jesus. I referred to it earlier, I'll refer to it again. Newton wrote, and the church sings, "'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear." Paul condemns the thought that free will gets us to God.

In Romans 9, 16, he says, it does not depend upon him who wills or upon him who runs, but on God who shows mercy. Man is unable to commend himself to God. Man is unable, apart from the grace of God, to choose for Jesus. When a man or a woman or a boy or a girl comes to the Savior, it's because of the sovereign grace and power of God, enabling that sinner to see himself before a holy God, giving him the graces of faith and repentance, so that he can indeed close with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Again, several passages, just a few specimens, just a few samples. John 6 and verse 44. John 6 and verse 44, underscoring the doctrine of total inability. And all of this because there is a presupposition behind the question, how can a young man cleanse his way?

Not trying to depress you tonight, not trying to make you feel bad tonight, but I want us to understand how desperate the condition is apart from the truth of God. Notice, John 6, 44, no one, can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day." I've already cited Romans 9.16 and now John 6.44. I really don't understand why there's a debate about the topic. I really don't know why persons think that their free will, unaided by the sovereign grace of God, can effectively change and look to the Lord Jesus savingly.

Jesus says quite the opposite. No one can come to me. No one. How can a young man cleanse his way?

It's not by moral reform. How can a young man cleanse his way? It's not by going to church. How can a young man cleanse his way?

It's not by being a good little boy. He needs the grace of God. He needs his heart changed. He needs to be born again.

He needs regeneration. He needs the Holy Spirit. For Christ says, no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. That can come speaks of ability.

It speaks of the inability, rather, to come unless the Father who sent me draws him. Notice in Romans 8, 7 and 8. We actually get a package deal in Romans 8, 7, and 8, because we get both total depravity and total inability. For those of you who are thoroughly depressed by this point, you're probably thinking, great, a package deal is how bad I am.

Well, I think as we understand how bad we are, we can appreciate how great Christ is. I'm always reminded of that statement by John Newton, I'm a great sinner, but Christ is a great Savior. I think that's a good attitude that the people of God ought to have. Notice in Romans 8, 7.

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God. Total depravity. For it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. Total inability.

The carnal mind cannot be subject to the law of God. Why? Because he has this position in Adam. He has this death in Adam.

Note that Paul in Ephesians 2 does not describe the sinner's condition as one of being crippled, or one of being lame, or one of being just a little bit hurt. He says, and you were dead in your trespasses and sins. You were dead. You were gone.

You were spiritually out of it. The only way to be made alive is by the powerful and sovereign grace of Almighty God. So we see, just in these specimen passages, the reality is, behind this question, Lay the doctrine of sin. How can a young man cleanse his way?

I think this is a very important question for our young people. This is a very important question for not just young people. I was musing this afternoon on why I said old goat today in the morning sermon. I really can't explain that.

I don't know why that came out or how that came out. It just did, and I apologize. I kind of had myself in there now. I'm looking at myself as older.

But I apologize if that was offensive. It's just one of those things you wish you could pull back and you just can't do it. But it's the most important question for old people, older people, but as well for the young. The question doesn't pertain to the temporal.

There's a lot of big questions children face and young people face. Where will I go to school when I'm done with high school? Who will I marry? What kind of a house am I going to have?

What kind of career should I pursue? And these are valuable and important questions that you ought to entertain. Don't just sit on your couch and play Nintendo, but rather entertain such questions that are pertinent to your temporal state in this lower world. But this particular question pertains to the eternal.

How can a young man cleanse his way? His way stands in need of cleansing. If that way is not cleansed, it's not going to go well for him. In fact, this is the most important question that a young man, a young woman, can ponder.

It is oftentimes neglected because of sin. Isn't that the case, young people? You don't want to go to church. You don't want to sit around while the Bible's read at home.

You want to do your own thing. You want to do what the neighbors are doing. You want to do what your friends at school are doing. We often neglect the big things because of our sin.

And I think that we ought to recognize that and place ourselves under the means. So it's a most important question, and

The Answer Given: Taking Heed to God's Word

I want to move now to the answer given by the psalmist. How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to your words. Does that surprise anyone?

Do you go, wow, I would have never seen that coming. That's the Bible's answer to everything, God's Word. That's what we need. We need to take heed according to the Word.

And certainly, the Word of God comes to us to reveal to us the glory of God, the sovereign power of God, the creation of God, the providence of God, but the redemption of God as well. The heavens declare the glory of God, the psalmist says. God reveals himself generally in creation, in the created order. But that revelation of God that we see perhaps on a beautiful day like this does not lead us to the cross.

We need special revelation. We need the word of truth. We need this Word that the psalmist says is the means by which a young man can cleanse his way. We need to learn of Christ.

We need to learn of His life. We need to learn of His death. We need to learn of His resurrection. We need to learn of blood atonement.

Hebrews 9.22, without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. We need to learn those things, and the way they come to us is not mystery, it's not magic, it is through Scripture. We need the Word of God, and the Bible tells us that the Bible is inspired by God. Given by inspiration of God, it's profitable for doctrine.

It's a word that scares many people. It simply means teaching. We need doctrine. We need correction.

We need reproof. We need instruction in righteousness. And that is what we get in the Scriptures. And so, the psalmist says, how can a young man cleanse his way?

And the answer is, by taking heed according to your word. Now, young men and young women, what ought you to pursue with reference to this question? Well, in the first place,

Justification: Initial Cleansing by Grace

your way needs to be cleansed from your sin, initially. In other words, you need justification from on high. You need salvation by grace through faith in Jesus. You need to come to the cross.

The cleansing of a young man's way comes by the grace of God poured out through our Lord Jesus Christ. In the washing of regeneration, the justification that is by faith, young men, young women, you need to be saved. You need to come to the cross. You need to listen to the preaching of the Word.

You need to listen when your mother or your father reads Scripture to you. You need to read for yourself those holy things and learn of Christ, and by God's grace, believe in Christ. That's the only way your way will be cleansed. Justification by the grace of Almighty God.

Turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 6, where this is vividly illustrated in the life are the lives of the believers in Corinth. 1 Corinthians 6, verses 9 to 11. Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites.

Paul is not repeating himself there. the Greek language, and the two terms used by Paul, homosexual and sodomite, are technical terms that speak to the active and passive partner in a sodomite relationship. He's not repeating himself, he is making distinction. He says, neither fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. Now, some may be tempted to say, well, that's not me.

I'm not a sodomite. That's not me. I'm not an idolater. That's not me.

I'm not a thief. I've never broken into anybody's house and found their safe and took a little C4 and blasted it open and took out their possessions and their jewels and their goods and all. I've never done that. Can any of you young men or women for a moment say you've never been covetous?

And with reference to this whole idea of fornication, can any of you young men and women, I'm talking the five-year-olds and the three-year-olds among us, but the teenagers, Jesus tells us the spirituality of his law. If you look upon a woman and you lust in your heart, you have violated the commandment. Fornication does not simply mean that you have gone with another person. It may be lust, it may be that sort of a thing, it may be pornography, it may be a whole host of things.

How can a young man cleanse his way? Notice what Paul answers in verse 11. "'And such were some of you.'" Ponder that for a moment. "'Such were some of you.'" Paul is speaking to the Corinthian church and says that in the Corinthian church, some of you were sodomites.

Some of you were homosexuals. Some of you were adulterers. Some of you were fornicators. Some of you were covetous.

Some of you were thieves. It's not the power of the gospel. It's able to say, "'And such were some of you.'" We preach a real gospel to real sinners, brethren. We don't preach self-help.

We don't preach, you know, human enablement. We preach salvation. through our Lord Jesus Christ. Such were some of you, but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Sinners come to Christ, they find cleansing.

Sinners come to Christ, they find justification. Sinners come to Christ, they find the power to change, not by themselves, but in Him alone. Notice as well in Ephesians 1 verse 7, in Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace. Through His blood we have the forgiveness of sins.

Young man, young woman, if you are undone in your sin tonight, what you desperately need is the blood of Jesus. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus. That hymn that we sang before the preaching of the Word underscores this reality. How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to your Word, that Word which reveals a bloody Savior who went to the cross on behalf of sinners, such that everyone who looks to Him in faith will be washed, will be justified, will be sanctified.

They will have their sins put away. This is what Paul says. We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Notice Titus 3.

Titus chapter 3, a passage that incidentally highlights total depravity and the power of the Christian message. Titus chapter 3 at verse 3, for we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures. Note Paul. Paul includes himself in this lot.

Nobody on this side of Paul can say, well, you know, he's just a rabbi, he was an extra special guy, he was a good person, so the Lord chose him to go out and be the apostle. We know opposite. Paul was a wretch. Paul tried to kill the people of God.

Paul held the clothes while men stoned Stephen to death. And so Paul includes himself, for we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. So you see, when we ask the question, how can a young man cleanse his way, the first aspect that we ought to seek out in the Word of Truth is justification.

Sanctification: Ongoing Cleansing by the Word

Secondly, sanctification. Say a young man comes to the Savior. Say a young man has his sins cleansed. Say a young man is now positionally right with our God in Jesus Christ.

How does he maintain? How does he live? How does he function? How does he conduct himself?

He does it according to God's Word. You see, there's never a time when we're not dependent upon the Word. The Word not only tells us about our initial salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, but the Word continues to feed us in our maturation as we grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We need to grow.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks the question, what is sanctification? Sanctification is the work of God's free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin and live unto righteousness. Paul speaks to this in Philippians 2. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Let's say, work for your own salvation with fear and trembling. You notice that we could never do that. He says, work out that which God has sovereignly placed in there. Work it out with fear and trembling.

For it is God who is at work in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. For you young men or young women who profess faith in Jesus Christ, are you taking heed according to the Word? Notice 2 Corinthians chapter 6. 2 Corinthians chapter 6. As much as we try and highlight, and by we I mean Pastor Porter and myself, try to highlight that justification is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, we always underscore, we always emphasize, and we always try to make sure everybody knows that justification will inevitably lead to sanctification.

So that if you do not have holiness, if you do not have good works, if you do not do those things that are pleasing to God, it is suspect whether or not you've ever come to the Savior to begin with. Does everybody get that? There is a very close connection between the two. They are distinguished, and they are distinctive.

We don't meld them together and present ourselves to God. But those justified freely by grace will pursue those things that are pleasing in the sight of God. So young men, young women, are you given to the sorts of things that are completely opposite to the Word and the will of God? What think ye of the law?

I think the law of God is a great way to test ourselves, a great way to see where we're at concerning God. Are we idolaters? If we're bowing to Baal, and we're bowing to money, and we're bowing to ourselves, we need to repent. If we are blasphemers, and that doesn't mean simply that we spew out filth.

Remember that Nathan the prophet says to David, by this act you have given cause to the enemies of God to reproach his name. So by our conduct or our misconduct, we are blaspheming the Lord Most High. What about his Sabbath day? What about the Lord's day?

Is it our delight? Is the Shabbat a blessing to our souls when we get to come in out of the world and we get to be with the people of God? Young men, young women, what is your attitude toward these things? What about that commandment that is specially placed for each young man and each young woman?

The fifth word, honor your father and your mother. Children, obey your parents and the Lord, for this is right. This is something you should do by creation. You esteem those whom God has placed over you, those who feed you, those who clothe you, those who shelter you.

You esteem them according to creation. But if you've been redeemed by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, then you esteem them even higher. This is what it means to be a Christian. It doesn't mean to run off with all the wicked among the world, but it's to be faithful.

What about murder? Oh, I never kill anybody, I've never shot anybody. Do you hate people without cause? Are you unforgiving?

Is there malice? Is there a spirit in you that is unforgiving? It's amazing to me how often we do not apply what Paul says in terms of forgiveness, forgiving one another, even as God and Christ forgave you. Oh no, not us.

We're going to hold these grudges and be bitter and upset, and that person wronged me, and I'm going to avoid that. It's a murderous spirit. This is of Cain. This isn't godly.

What about the seventh word? Young men, young women. How is it with you in this area of sexual fidelity and sexual purity? The Lord God Most High says that you are to abstain from sexual immorality.

In fact, in 1 Thessalonians 4, do you ever ask the question, what is God's will for my life? Typically, that question is posed like this. What is God's will for my life? What kind of man am I going to marry?

What kind of woman am I going to marry? What kind of university am I going to go to? What kind of missionary work? That's not what Paul says we ought to be asking when it comes to the will of God. 1 Thessalonians 4, this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality.

That's the will of God for all of us. I think it has peculiar application for young people in a sensualized and sexual age. You need to guard your heart. If you profess the true faith, if you profess that Christ has redeemed you, then glorify God in your body. because it's been purchased by the Savior.

And you are not to misuse it, you're not to join your members to a harlot, you are not to engage in that lawlessness, because it betrays the confession of faith that you are making. What about stealing? Again, I don't go breaking into people's house, you might steal at work. You read those studies, people get paid for eight hours, three hours of work in a day?

Work! Especially you young men. Oh my goodness, we need to work. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.

Don't be the whining, grumbling, complaining person at work. Show up on time, do what you're paid to do, and do it to the best of your ability. Anything less is theft. And young women, too, don't be slobs and show up late and say, well, I'm not a young man.

I can just sit on my laurels and just coast, because Pastor Butler said, work hard. Christians ought to be the best employees, not the biggest whiners, not the biggest time wasters, not the biggest users of the good things that their employers are giving to them. And people say, well, you don't know what my job is like. Then find another job.

Don't take it out on your employer because you're too lazy to go out and find another job. Thievery. Lying. You shall not bear false witness.

Well, I've never been called up to count in a courtroom. Yeah, that's the primary application. You're not supposed to be a perjurer. Keep that in mind if you ever have to go give evidence.

But in life, speak the truth. Don't shave off the rough edges. Don't make it look better for yourself. The fish, if it was that big, don't tell us it was that big.

That's lying. You're not supposed to lie. That's just what God said. You profess the true religion.

How is it that we have cut these corners and we have shaved off the rough edges? Why is our holiness not like the Puritan era? We look at those guys and we say, wow, weren't they godly? Yeah, because they did what the Lord said.

Why is that revolutionary? Why is that so? Wow! How could a young man cleanse his way?

By taking heed according to God's Word. And the tenth word, guard your heart. Solomon tells you this so clearly. Keep your heart with all diligence.

Keep it, guard it, set a sentinel over it. Why? For out of it spring the issues of life. Jesus tells us it's from the heart that all of this lawlessness proceeds.

If you have professed the true and saving religion, the way to maintain a cleansed way is by taking heed according to the Word. Dill captures both these concepts, justification and sanctification, this way. He says, I think the Word may be better rendered and supplied thus, by observing what is according to thy Word. which shows how a sinner is to be cleansed from his sins by the blood of Christ, and justified by His righteousness, and be clean through His Word. And also how and by whom the work of sanctification is wrought in the heart, even by the Spirit of God, by means of the Word.

And what is the rule of man's walk and conversation? He will find the Word of God to be profitable, to inform in the doctrines of justification and pardon, to acquaint him with the nature of regeneration and sanctification, and for the correction and amendment of his life and manners, and for his instruction in every branch of righteousness." 2 Corinthians 7.1. Therefore, having these promises, and the promises are covenantal that he's indicated in chapter 6, having these promises, beloved, Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. If your justification, or your supposed or alleged justification, leads you to licentiousness, leads you to laziness, leads you to lethargy or apathy, then I would be very suspicious that you have Paul's doctrine of justification.

Those who have been justified freely by His grace meet 7-1 in 2 Corinthians and say, Oh God, help me to cleanse myself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit and help me to perfect holiness in the fear of God. Give me the grace and the desire and the wherewithal and the discipline and the faithfulness and the consistency to do it. That's needful. How can a young man cleanse his way?

It's not just one day. Oh, I got gripped by the Spirit on a Thursday, and I had such a great day. On Friday, it just went away. No, you need to be in your Word.

You need to be in prayer. You need to be faithful. Go back to Psalm 119 as we bring this to a close. The question posed, how can a young man cleanse his way?

The answer given, by taking heed according to your Word.

The Psalmist's Example of Word Engagement

Notice in the context, the psalmist's example. The psalmist's example, his engagement with the Word.

Obeying and Seeking with the Whole Heart

In the first place, he obeys the Word. He knows for himself by taking heed according to your Word. That means obedience. That means doing what the Word says.

Spurgeon says, "...let him become a practical disciple of the Holy God, who alone can teach him how to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil, that trinity of defilers by whom many a hopeful life has been spoiled. He is young and unaccustomed to the road. Let him not be ashamed often to inquire of Him who is so ready and so able to instruct him in it." Isn't that beautiful? I think Spurgeon's on to something there.

Sometimes, one of the sins of youth is pride. You all know it. You know everything, don't you? I mean, as parents, we know they know everything, because they often remind us, maybe not, you know, positively, but by their attitude, by their conduct, they just carry themselves with this, you know, air of superiority.

I remember one of our children, and I hate to do this, used to just think that when we were, the kids were little, we should have been this, that and the other with the younger ones. And we probably should have been. That's tough to take from a, you know, 14-year-old, though, that's never had children. Pride is an issue.

That's something that identifies us with Adam. It's pride. It's pride. Listen to what Spurgeon says.

He is young and unaccustomed to the road. How can a young man cleanse his way? You don't know what the way is about. You don't have all the answers.

You don't know all the ins and outs. He says, let him not be ashamed often to inquire of Him who is so ready and so able, to instruct him in it. Go to your Scriptures listening for marching orders. Go to your Scriptures listening to the voice of God.

Go to your Scriptures to hear commandments and statutes and ordinance Go to the Scriptures to be instructed and to obey." Notice, he engages the Word with the whole heart. Verse 10, "...with my whole heart I have sought you." I mean, we look at this, we say, well, you know, that was David. He got, you know, really caught up in religiosity, and he was a godly man. That's just not me.

Well, it needs to be you, and it needs to be me. Again, I don't know why we'd say, oh, those Puritans, they were awesome. Oh, that King David, he was awesome. But for us, you know, We can just slither by.

We can just slide in. We can just, you know, kind of hobble our way into heaven. With my whole heart I have sought you. Oh, let me not wander from your commandments.

You see, as he says, with my whole heart I have sought you, it still is a present reality to him that there is an inclination and a tendency to wander from his commandments. So as he's expressing, with my whole heart I have sought you, He nevertheless petitions, oh, let me not wander from your commandment. There is a realism in the heart of David. In fact, the psalm ends on that sort of a realistic note.

Notice in Psalm 119, 176. You kind of almost don't expect it to end this way. You know, you'd think it'd be on this crescendo of the glory of God's Holy Word and, you know, the fireworks going and the light shining. And David, knowing himself, says, I have gone astray like a lost sheep.

Seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandment. Beautiful, isn't it? Back to Psalm 119. He engages the Word with a whole heart.

Memorizing and Depending on the Word

Thirdly, he memorizes the word. Verse 11, "'Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you.'" It's amazing to me how many times people struggle or battle with sin and they don't memorize Scripture. I'm really struggling with this particular sin. Let's say it's a sexual sin.

I oftentimes say, memorize Peter. Not the whole thing, but, "'Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.'" It's a very helpful verse, isn't it? "'Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.'" There's a whole host of verses that you can memorize in the scripture. I think there's over 31,000 verses in all of the Bible.

If you struggle with sexual sin, you may not need to memorize a verse that deals with how many cubits the south wall of the tabernacle was. But those texts that speak to sexual purity, I mentioned 1 Thessalonians 4. Why aren't those in your heart? If you're struggling with sexual sin and you have not internalized the Word of God to call it into conscious reality in those times, then you need to.

It's amazing how many times we don't do what we're supposed to do. Pastor, I'm really struggling with my role as a wife. Then memorize Paul's instructions. That's not going to cure your ills, but the idea is that the Spirit will take the Word that is internalized, and make it bear upon you, so that when you want to yell obscenities at your husband, you'll remember Paul's words that say, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord.

You wouldn't shout obscenities at Jesus. You better not shout obscenities at the one Jesus tells you not to. You see, if the Word is not there, hidden in your heart, you can't draw off of it. You may not always have your phone.

You may not always have an internet connection. You may not get 3G somewhere. The old boys actually spent the time to memorize Scripture. The act itself got it in there.

The act itself rolled it around. The act itself put it in their bones. And therefore, it was available when crunch time came. Notice that he depends upon divine instruction from the Word.

Verse 12, Blessed are you, O Lord. Teach me your statutes. I depend on this. I need it.

This is my lifeline. This is my hope. This is my stay. Spurgeon says, young man, the Bible must be your chart, and you must exercise great watchfulness, that your way may be according to its directions.

You must take heed to your daily life, as well as study your Bible. You must study your Bible, that you may take heed to your daily life. With the greatest care, a man will go astray if his map misleads him. But with the most accurate map, he will still lose his road if he does not take heed to it.

You understand? You could have a GPS, but if you don't turn it on or it downloaded the wrong data, you'll still get lost. You need to utilize what is available. He says, the narrow way was never hit upon by chance, neither did any heedless man ever lead a holy life.

That's just good horse sense right there.

Declaring, Rejoicing, and Meditating on the Word

Fifth, he engages the Word with a desire to declare to others. I want to witness, Pastor. I want to go out and testify. I want to tell people about Jesus." Well, listen to what he says in verse 13, "'With my lips I have declared all the judgments of your mouth.'" What's the point?

What's the issue? What's the idea? That when you internalize the Word of God, when it gets ahold of you, when it's in your bones, when it's in your heart, it can't help but bubble out. You can't help but declare how glorious Jesus is.

You want to witness? Study your Bible and pray. You can always come back to that. Isn't that great?

Christianity is pretty simple that way. Notice he engages the word with joy. Verse 14, I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies as much as in all riches. Is church a happy event for you or is it drudgery?

Is morning Bible reading happy or is it drudgery? Is it something you have to, or is it something you get to? Your dad says it's time to read the Bible after dinner. Do we roll our eyes?

Do we say, I don't want to do that? That's not the disposition of the psalmist. The psalmist was joyful when it comes to the Word of God. I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies as much as in all riches.

I suspect that if you happen to walk home tonight and you found a big bag of gold, And you went to the police and reported it, like you should. And the police said, You know, that happens to be nobody's. It's yours to keep. You would probably do a bit of a jig on your way out of the police station as you are schlepping that bag of gold home.

And the psalmist says, I have more joy than that. I have rejoiced in the way of testimonies as much as in all riches. Later he says more. Later he says more.

As well, seventh. He engages the word with meditation and contemplation. Meditation and contemplation. Verse 15, I will meditate on your precepts and contemplate your ways.

I was thinking about this recently. If someone put a camera in my study, they would see me at times just staring. You'd say, oh, he's not doing any work. He preached that Eighth Commandment to us and he's sitting in there stealing money from the church.

He's just sitting there. I don't know how to look busy meditating and contemplating. You know what I mean? There's a sense where you just have to sit and think.

You've got to let the Word roll around in there. You put that tea bag in the hot water and you just let it steep. That's what the psalmist says that we need to do with the Word of God. Put it in there and let it steep.

Just let it ooze into the bone, let it ooze into the heart, let it find its way into you. Meditate on it, contemplate it, consider it, think through it. Take a walk and take a verse or two with you and just think through the implications of that for you. It's not magic, it's not shutting down, it's not the meditation associated with that Eastern mystical nonsense.

It's not humming or chanting or sitting with a robe on, a cup of tea, it's not that. is get your mind in the Scriptures. It's to think through it. Engage the mind. Jesus says we are to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

The mindless Christianity is not Christianity. We are to worship God by utilizing the mind. We are to meditate and contemplate on His holy words.

Delighting and Resolving Not to Forget

And then finally, he engages the word with delight and determination. Verse 16, I will delight myself in your statute. Now notice, I will not forget your word. I will not forget your word.

You say, well, that sounds boastful, that sounds proud, especially from a man who committed adultery and murder. Brethren, we are to make resolutions. We are to resolve, by the grace of God, to keep those things that he has given to us. Notice in Psalm 119, 106, I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep your righteous judgments.

I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep your righteous judgments. You say, well, I don't think I could do that. You better start doing it. You better start living in light of those things.

You ought to take seriously the fact that the God of heaven and earth has given us his word, he has called us to march accordingly, and we are not to say, well, I'm going to try. No, you are to confirm and determine to not forget his word. Of course, that presupposes that you're actually learning his word. So that's the psalmist's example of engagement with the word.

Well, I hope that this has been helpful. I hope that this has been an encouragement. I hope that it's been instructive. And

Application: Parents and Children

I do want to say one final thing that God willing, in a couple of weeks or months, we're going to try and start a children's Sunday school to help facilitate this. Now, it's primarily the responsibility of parents to bring up their children in the training and the admonition of the Lord. But I have for a long time wanted to have a meeting from 9.30 to 10.30 with our little ones to teach them the truth, to teach them sound doctrine, And, you know, not... You all know me, I'd probably have them in there, you know, reciting or reading Burkhoff.

It'll be a little more, you know, facilitated to the youth. We're going to try to get some ladies involved, too, so it's not just, you know, rehearsing the doctrine of total depravity and reciting all the texts that speak to that. But we want to try and help in this way, but it cannot be the Church does it. Fathers, you need to take charge in your home.

You need to lead your little ones to the cross. Fathers and mothers, you need to take seriously the apostles' admonition. Do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and the admonition of the Lord. That is a command not given to the pastors of the church.

Certainly, pastors who are fathers need to do this with their children. Fathers, the primary arena for the discipleship of children is in the home. So the church isn't going to usurp that position. The church isn't going to do that by proxy.

We are going to try, as we are able, to inculcate some truth into your little ones, but you have the main responsibility to bring them up. And fathers and mothers, take this seriously, because this is a wicked, decadent, wretched generation. And how can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to your Word.

We need to present that Word to them privately, we need to present that to them in the family, and we need to bring them to church. You know, a kid gets 15, he doesn't want to go to church anymore. Well, maybe he's learned that from your example. Many of you learn that because you complain about church, or you don't like church, or you miss church.

When your kid's 15 and he doesn't want to go to church, and you haven't been consistent or faithful, you really don't have a leg to stand on. You know, there's studies. Why are our children leaving the church? I think one of the best ways that we can do this, or one of the ways we can hopefully prohibit this, is by being good examples in this regard.

Showing them is valuable. Showing them is important. Showing them is something that we do because it's in our bones, it's in our heart. We're not going to forsake the assembling of ourselves together.

So how can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to your Word. Well, let us pray.

Closing Prayer

Father, we thank you for the Word, and we thank you that you have given it to us, and I pray that you would help us to follow the example set forth by the psalmist in this short section of Holy Scripture, And I do pray for all of our young people. I pray for all of our children, that they would, in their youth, remember their Creator, that they, in their youth, would lay hold of that Word by your grace, that they would know the justifying grace of God Almighty, and they would pursue those things that are pleasing in your sight, that they would indeed perfect holiness in the fear of God. We ask now that you would go with us, that you would watch over us in this coming week, Be with our brothers and sisters who have struggles and difficulties and trials, and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Scripture References

• Genesis 6:5; 6:11-12; 8:21
• Proverbs 10:23
• Ecclesiastes 7:29
• Psalms 51:5; 58:3; 119:9-16; 119:106; 119:176
• Job 9:2
• Jeremiah 13:23; 17:9
• John 6:44
• Romans 3:9; 3:10; 3:11; 3:12; 3:13-18; 8:7-8; 9:16
• 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
• 2 Corinthians 6; 7:1
• Ephesians 1:7; 2:1-3
• Philippians 2:12-13
• 1 Thessalonians 4:3
• Titus 3:3-7
• Hebrews 9:22