On Passion and Purity
Last Sunday’s sermon covered an unusual topic – sex. One topic that made my teens squirmed in their seats and had probably made most of us uncomfortable than our usual Sundays. This is something that is rarely discussed openly, much more from a church podium. But hey, the Bible itself tackled it and is telling us how to deal with it and make the most out of it.
Proverbs chapter five tells us, sex is something to be enjoyed. So why the hush then? Perhaps because it is so personal. It is intimate. No wonder the Bible tells us it is to be shared between a husband and a wife. God has intended it for good and as Pastor Jong emphasized, it can only be fully enjoyed within the boundaries God has set upon us. Out of control, it can just lead into disappointment. It has to be tempered by purity. Something that is harder to keep in a world where the culture laughs at those who choose to wait.
When I was single, I would wonder why God would deny it, if it is good. Then I thought, why do it when I didn’t want to accidentally become a young mom strapped with unexpected responsibilities, or even face the consequences of sexually transmitted diseases. I chose to believe that God can make everything beautiful in His time, that there is a perfect time for everything. These urges can be difficult as a young person but God has His ways of steering us in the right direction. Going on group dates and practicing self-control is important for young people in order to keep themselves pure. I remember a recent young bride thanking her dad for the endless phone calls that had probably interrupted a number of dates but had kept her pure until the day of her wedding. The wait is hard, but it’s not impossible. One can never go back to the first time, make sure it counts. There is no need anyway to test out for sexual compatibility. If you are emotionally and spiritually connected to each other, sexual fulfillment follows.
The Bible is right. Purity is still the name of the game.
