Sexual impurity abounds! It’s everywhere. Promiscuity has become the norm in our society. While waiting in grocery store checkout lines, we see it plastered over all the magazine headlines. When turning on the television, it’s hard to find a show free of sexual innuendos. Today, couples are expected to live together before marriage. If someone wants to remain a virgin until their wedding night, they are judged as uptight and frigid. The world does not value sexual purity but God does. In fact, He expects it! We are told to abstain from sexual immorality and practice self-control.
“For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” 1 John 2:16 (NKJV)
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God.” 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 (NKJV)
We are certainly living in the days of Noah! Evil is exploding everywhere. Just as in Noah’s time, the world is filled with violence. We need to be on guard lest the ways of this world taint our vision of eternity and God’s holy Word.
“Then the Lord 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.” Genesis 6:5 (NKJV)
Billy Graham wrote, In God’s eyes, impurity is one of the most revolting sins because it twists and distorts one of God’s most precious gifts: human love.
Satan has done his best to pervert and twist God’s love. Where the love of God is pure, empty of self and abounding in sacrifice, worldly love is all about self-pleasure and temporary highs. True love is patient. It is honorable. Lust isn’t. Lust wants immediate pleasure and satisfaction without the commitment of a relationship.
“As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance.” 1 Peter 1:14 (NKJV)
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16 (NKJV)
How can we remain pure during this present age? Our times are so blatantly evil! Take heart friends. If Noah managed to maintain his godly character among an evil generation we can too. It is possible to maintain our purity but it requires faith and a strong relationship with God. A mediocre spiritual walk will not be enough to side-step evil and avoid the consequences of compromise.
“This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.” Genesis 6:9 (NKJV)
From this verse, we learn that Noah was a just (righteous, lawful) and perfect (upright, without a spot, wholesome, has integrity, innocent, entirely in accord with truth) man. Additionally, he walked with God in a conversant manner. This means Noah kept an ongoing dialogue with God. There was no lack of commitment. They had a personal relationship.
Walking in sexual purity will certainly catch the attention of others. Expect the world to mock and tease. Non-believers won’t understand such actions because they are spiritual. Teach your children that sexual purity pleases God. Tell them that sex is a beautiful gift but is meant only for their helpmate and partner in life. There is no shame in being a virgin, only honor. Chastity requires self-control and self-control is a gift of the spirit. Encourage them to pray for the fruit of the Spirit and grasp tight the gift of sexual purity.
“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 (NIV)
“And said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Matthew 19:5-6 (NKJV)
Categories: FAITH FOR TODAY, INSPIRATIONAL DEVOTIONS, INSPIRATIONAL PICTURES, SPIRITUAL WARFARE, THOUGHT FOR TODAY
I don’t believe in purity or impurity, only in love. Everyone can have only one first time, but life doesn’t always work in your favor. Love, on the other hand, keeps no record of wrongs and always forgives. So your first love was bad luck? It happens. It doesn’t mean you’re doomed to suffer all eternity.
God is love but he is also a God of righteousness. Using your Bible, I challenge you to do a word study about purity and impurity. I’d also include lust and love as key words to study. All sin separates us from God, including sexual sin. We can repent and find forgiveness but it’s wrong to live according to the “ways of the world.” God is very clear that sex is for marriage. I’m a 57-year-old virgin. I made choices to remain chaste. It took self-control and the grace of God to do so. If I marry, my virginity will be a gift I give to my husband. We can’t cherry pick the scriptures. With God, it is all or nothin’
https://corechristianity.com/resource-library/articles/9-bible-verses-that-teach-that-sex-before-marriage-is-a-sin
“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
1 Co 6:18-20
Hm. I’m a nymphomaniac. I have no self-control whatsoever. The man I marry won’t be a virgin and neither will I. So God gets nothing because it’s too late to get all.
God can change all of that if you will allow Him into your heart. God is a God of forgiveness and second chances. As Cheryl said, He is righteous and punishes sin – but those who come to Jesus and repent of their sin and ask for forgiveness will be forgiven. God CAN and WILL help you provided you truly want His help. God is a gentleman and will not force upon you what you do not want.
But why? I’m perfectly awesome as is!
Yes you may well be. But being “awesome” will not save you, only God can do that. Being awesome will not keep any of us out of Hell either. I’m not awesome, I’m just a regular joe, but I hope you will change your mind and come to the One who can save you – Jesus.
Being “saved” from awesomeness would be terrible.
But for how long? Beauty is fleeting. Think of eternity. Eternal life vs a few years on earth.
Every moment is an eternity to itself. I spend each one in awe of our love and look forward to the next as a continuation of the last.
Love this succinct reminder to live purely! Never thought about Noah’s day compared to ours in that light, great work.
Our God is holy and he had made us in His image and His likeness. It is sin that had marred our true nature. That is why we are called to purity. As impurity increases in these last days living the pure life looks abnormal but the life of purity is true liberation, We are free from many bondages, yokes, diseases, losses and regrets. There are many temptation around us daily but abstaining from fleshly lust which wars against the soul is very important