Why Be Sexually Pure?
1. Be sexually pure because it is right. God even used the image of sexual purity to express righteousness in Revelation 14:1-5. Genesis 1:26-31 and 2:18-25 make it clear that marriage is a pure relationship (so do many other Biblical passages). Defilement comes from sexual relationships outside of marriage.
2. Be sexually pure to maintain your dignity and self-respect. The only way to be honorable, is to do what is honorable. Marriage is the only relationship that dignifies intimate privileges (see Hebrews 13:4 on that). All others are fornicators regardless of how “right” it seems at the time.
3. Be sexually pure to reaffirm the value of self-discipline. See Proverbs 16:32 on the value of controlling your passions. Any alley cat can do otherwise. It takes character, courage and conviction to do what is right consistently. Speak to God about times of temptation before they come and also when you’re in the middle of them. First Corinthians 10:13 teaches that he is faithful to help those who want to do right in such times.
4. Be sexually pure to know that you are saving your body for the marital pleasure God meant for you and your mate to experience. God’s relationships are infinitely better than fornication in every way. Read I Corinthians 6:13 through 7:5 on this. Very interesting. Your virginity, whether male or female, is the most unique gift you can give you mate. You can only give it away one time. Don’t sacrifice such a gift on the altar of immaturity, foolishness and weakness. The pleasure of godly sexuality is too valuable to taint.
5. Be sexually pure to avoid being a hypocrite. Don’t you want to marry someone who’s pure? What if you future mate is presently behaving just like you? Can you hold them to a higher standard than the one to which you hold yourself? Hypocrisy is dishonesty.
6. Be sexually pure to avoid becoming responsible for a child. Child bearing and rearing are very demanding, very difficult, very demanding, very expensive, very demanding and very demanding even under the best of circumstances. Get the point? Worse yet, how would you like to be that child? There are no “illegitimate children”, just illegitimate parents. Being the male does not resolve any responsibility. God expects you to be responsible and he knows where you live. Abortion? Why add killing your own child to the sin of fornication?
7. Be sexually pure to avoid the problems of associated diseases. Proverbs 6:20-28 likens immoral sexual activity to walking on fire, or putting fire inside your clothing. That’s got to hurt. Don’t fool yourself. You will get burned. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, genital warts, syphilis, and now AIDS are just some of the surprise rewards awaiting the unchaste. Who do you think designed these diseases? Some of them are incurable. Even worse are the emotional, spiritual and interrelational side effects that no drug can touch. Any one of these plagues will mar the sanctity and closeness of future relationships.
8. Be sexually pure so as not to give an excuse to your children to do the same. How many young people have reasoned, “My folks did it, so what can they say?” Will you want your children to be tempted to think like that? “Monkey see, monkey do”. That is animal behavior. Do better than that. Provide them an example of strength, character, and self-control.
Convinced? I hope so. But if not, buy a good health insurance policy, and then a life insurance policy. Get the names of a couple of good mental health counselors, prepaid legal and adoption agencies, plus one of those pre-arranged funerals. Have the mortician fit you with a nice suit. Make it asbestos.
Lest you think me too harsh, let me ask you… how can we ignore what God says so clearly about sin, and still expect to be blessed with a good life on earth and eternal life in the end?
Do what is right? God blesses the faithful. He always has.