Introductory Observations of what God blessed in Ruth and Boaz's relationship: 1. Parental honor (Ruth 3:5-6, 17; God blesses Ruth's honoring of her only parental figure left) 2. Purposed towards marriage (3:9-10; note: no positive portrayal in Scripture of recreational relationships) 3. Pre-eminence of the LORD and His blessing (3:10) 4. Personal character attracts the godly (3:11; focus first on being the right person, not finding the right person) 5. Principles of God's Word govern relationship (3:12-13, 4:1-10) 6. Purity till marriage (4:13; saving its blessings till the covenant commitment)
The Responsibility of Parents as Believers - In God's Law, the father was held responsible for the purity of a daughter living in his house (Dt. 22:20-21) - fathers teach children: guard your heart (Prov. 4:20-23) and eyes (4:25-27) and ears (5:1-4) and steps (5:5-14) - both father and mother's wisdom and teaching is to protect from impurity and its consequences (6:20-33) - a mother to her son on what to look for in a wife (Prov. 31; Naomi also counsels Ruth as ‘my daughter')
The Responsibility of Other Believers - Titus 2 models older believers instructing the younger of the same gender in purity, self-control, conduct, etc. - The whole church should honor marriage (Heb 13:4) and hold its own accountable to God's standard (1 Cor 5)
The Responsibility of the Single Believer - Follow the above Scriptures and flee as far and fast as you can from youthful lusts, with godly believers in your life for accountability (2 Tim. 2:22) so you can be more useful and pleasing to the Lord (v. 21) - Some focus on ‘abstinence' but Christians should focus on purity
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Pastor Phil Layton is committed to expository preaching, the sufficiency of Scripture for ministry and all of life, the doctrines of grace, spreading a passion for a high view of God and His Word, and pursuing a ministry that is Scripture-saturated, Christ-centered,...
