| Issue No. 12 - November 9, 2003 | Back to Home Page |
Last week we started on the prescription for purity by explaining the Bible command to remain physically pure. We ended with the question: what might a couple do that would cause them to lose their purity? I want to begin by saying that there is a difference between losing your virginity and losing your purity. Just because one does not lose his purity (virginity?) does not mean they have not lost their purity. Unfortunately, many dating couples feel that they are “technically pure” as long as they don’t “go all the way.” The Bible makes it very clear that this is not true. Consider the following passage:
Genesis 24:16
Abraham has sent his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac. Allow me to make a few observations aside from the main point. First of all, he did not want his son to marry one of the unsaved people of the land. II Cor. 6:14 still commands us not to date or be involved with a lost person. Secondly, notice the interest and involvement of the parents in Isaac’s dating life. Now, on to my main point. Later in the story, it becomes obvious that Abraham desires his son to have a pure bride. The servant goes on a long journey to Haran in search of the right bride for Isaac. He meets Rebekah and discovers she is the perfect pick. Verse 16 points out a few important things about her: she was beautiful (always a plus!), she was a virgin, AND she was pure. Did you notice the distinction the Lord purposely makes in this verse? She not only had kept her virginity for the one she would marry, but she had also not been involved with another man in any physical way.
“...neither had any man known her.”
To say that you are pure because you have not had premarital sex while permitting a lose lifestyle of kissing, petting, and caressing is just not true. Fact is, God places great importance upon physical purity in the most minor details. It’s shocking to see just how twisted our minds have become on the subject of what is true purity! A recent national leader proved how debauched and sinister the carnal mind can become when he claimed he did not commit adultery after casually describing the vile, unmentionable relationship he did have with one that was not his wife. I recently read an article in a popular magazine that indicated this kind of thinking has permeated our teen culture. Many young people are involved in intimate contact that only belongs in marriage, yet they consider themselves pure. So the question is, where do you draw the line?
Let’s answer that first question. What is wrong with kissing your girlfriend/boyfriend? Chances are, if you are currently involved in kissing, you are probably up in arms against me. Let me assure you, I am on your side. There are a few good reasons why kissing is wrong for unmarried people. Last week we talked about one of those reasons being the unfaithfulness in saving all your intimate contact for your future mate. We won’t take the time to rehash, but see the previous issue of THE V.O.I.C.E.
Here’s another reason: kissing is an intimate act that precedes and prepares for sex. The human body is made in such a way that the act of kissing causes the body to expect something more. I’ve heard it said and know it to be true, kisses are like potato chips, you can never stop with just one! Truth be known, one kiss leads to another kiss which is usually of a more passionate nature, which eventually leads to embracing and other activities that prepare the body for intimacy. “Phil, are you saying that we will commit fornication if we kiss?” Let me put it this way, the chances are higher if you do. The Bible warns us not to make any provision for the flesh (Rom. 13:14) but to “flee fornication” (I Cor. 6:18). Literally, run away from the first signs of physical temptation. It would also be good for me to note here that you most likely will never have a problem with losing you virginity or staining your purity if you don’t kiss. Have you ever met a drunk who never took the first drink? At the same token, I have never met a couple who committed fornication who had never kissed. Consider another passage.
I Kings 10:17, 14:25-27, II Kings 25
Solomon’s reign in Israel was marked by the presence of God and His blessings. As he kept a tight watch over his heart and disciplined his life to obey all of God’s commands, God’s evident blessings were present. One of the ways we see that manifested is in his great riches. I Kings 10:17 tells about 300 shields made of gold. Think about this, they totaled 900 pounds of pure solid gold! A shield is always a picture of defense, and gold is always a picture of the presence of deity. Here we have a symbol of Solomon’s trust in God’s presence as their defense. You might say they had a “golden defense” against the enemy. Nothing was getting through that!
In chapter 14, we find Rehoboam did not reign with the same passion for God’s presence as his father. He behaved himself wickedly. Consequently, his kingdom was attacked by Egypt, and Israel lost much of the precious treasures that Solomon had built. Of the items taken were the 300 shields of gold. How fitting that when they dropped the defense of God’s presence, they lost his precious blessings.
Notice what Rehoboam does to remedy this problem. He replaces the golden shields
with bronze ones. This is so interesting! Though gold is a symbol of the presence
of the Lord, bronze is many times a symbol of judgment. When Moses was commanded
to put a serpent on a cross, it was to be a bronze serpent. Why? It was a picture
of the judgment for sin. When Christ hung on the cross, he was being judged
for our sins. Do you remember what Christ cried out on the cross as a result
of bearing our punishment? “My God! My God! Why hast thou forsaken me?”
The judgment was manifested not only in the physical suffering, but far greater
in the suffering he felt being separated from the presence of His Father. Truly,
the nature of all judgment from God is the absence of His presence. As hard
as it may be to understand, the greatest suffering in Hell will not be the fire,
but the separation from God.
Let’s make some conclusions:
When you decide to lay aside God’s golden defense for your bronze defense (God’s standard of no intimate contact for your standard of allowing certain pleasures) you are separating yourself from God’s presence and His protection. You have chosen the judgment of God (His absence) rather than the blessing of God (His presence). If you want God’s presence and blessing, don’t lower the standard to a level you feel will work for you. Take the standard God has given you and He will bless. Just think of how foolish it would be to take down the golden shields and replace them with bronze shields!
By the way, notice what happens to the bronze shields eventually. II Kings 25 tells us that they were taken away as well. Babylon came down and took the bronze shields away leaving them with no defense. Babylon is often seen in the Bible as a picture of Satan. When you drop God’s golden defense for your own bronze defense, the devil will eventually strip you of that one and you could end up making a mistake that you’ll regret forever. The best way to safeguard against losing your purity is to keep God’s golden defense of avoiding all physical contact that is romantic or intimate until you are married.
Hey, send me an e-mail and let me know how you are doing. I’d like to hear how you are applying these biblical principles. Join me next week as we continue with the subject MENTAL PURITY.
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