Purity

Today, it was 102 degrees outside. If you were to come over to my house, the first thing I would do is offer you a glass of water.

Would you like a glass of water? Here you go.

I can see you now. You're sitting on my couch enjoying the refreshing liquid. Can you imagine with me? The drink cools your parched throat.
Say it with me: "Ahhhh."

What if I told you that I accidentally dropped some cyanide in there? Whoops. It wasn't much really. Just a few drops. I really hope it doesn't kill you. I'm so sorry the water I gave you wasn't pure.

Purity.

It is a topic most young people do not like to talk about. Mostly because they are feeling guilty. Sometimes it just makes them uncomfortable. Let's define purity first.

pu·ri·ty

noun

1. the condition or quality of being pure; freedom from anything that debases, contaminates, pollutes, etc.: the purity of drinking water.

pure

adjective
1. free from anything of a different, inferior, or contaminating kind; free from extraneous matter

Thank you, dictionary.com.

Naturally, when we start talking about purity, our minds go to sexual purity, abstinence, refraining from having sex. But purity is more than that. It's about being pure in thoughts, actions, and words and being careful with what goes in our minds. It's a whole attitude, a way of life you live. I've been married for fifteen years and I still struggle with purity. Why? Because it has to do with being pure in heart, in our conduct, in our motives, in our inner spirits, and in our thought lives.

I'll let you in on a little secret.

Nobody is pure. Everybody struggles in this area.

So why do grown-ups make such a big deal about sexual purity? Why does God make such a big deal about sexual purity?

Do you really want to know the truth? You might be surprised. Are you ready? Okay, here I go. The real reason we make such a big deal about sexual purity is because we care. Yep. That's it. We care about you. We love you. God loves you.

God wants to do two things. He wants to provide you with the very best and protect you from everything else.

²¹ My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
preserve sound judgment and discretion;
²² they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
²³ Then you will go on your way in safety,

and your foot will not stumble.
²⁴ When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
²⁵ Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
²⁶ for the LORD will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.

Proverbs 3:21-26

Wow! Look at all the things God gives to those who follow Him.
Life. Grace. Safety. No Fear. Sweet Sleep. The Lord will be at your side. These are all the good things God is waiting to provide for you when you follow His wisdom.

¹⁸ Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. ¹⁹ Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰ you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

1 Corinthians 6:18-20

If you are a Christian, a follower of Christ, then the Holy Spirit lives in you. Your body is not yours to do whatever you want with it. Christ died for you. He purchased you at a tremendous price. Why? So you can do whatever you want with your boyfriend? No. To honor God. I really want you to think about this. Honor God in all your choices, but especially in how you behave with your body, His temple.

Marriage should be honored by all, and the

marriage bed kept pure,

for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

Hebrews 13:4

Pure.

The guy you are dating is not your husband. He does not belong to you. Until you are married, you are kissing somebody else's husband.

God has a husband for you. How would it feel to know your future husband is out fooling around with some other girl right now? Those memories will never leave him.

Adultery is a strong word, but I'm not the one using it here. God is. And He says He will judge you. Don't say I didn't warn you.

God wants to provide you with a husband. He wants you to have a pure relationship. God desires to give you a marriage filled with life and grace and safety. He wants you to have sweet sleep. He does not want you to live in fear. Fear of STD's. Fear of pregnancy out of wedlock. Fear of being caught. He wants to walk beside you all of the days of your life and provide you with His best. I promise you: His best is better anything you can dream of creating on your own.

Decide to stay pure. Sex is a really wonderful thing. God thought it up. He wants you to save physical intimacy for marriage because it will protect you from a lot of bad junk and provide you with a marriage worth having.

I'm telling you this because I care.

These thoughts came from our summer girls' Bible study, His Girl by Vicki Courtney.