Reclaiming Purity
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit?” (1 Cor. 6:19)
Paul is asking the question in an assumptive posture…hello people, didn’t you know this? Then why are you partaking in sexual immorality and giving your body away to unhealthy ends? “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Then flee from such immorality!” (vs. 15,18)
Easier said than done—especially in this sex-crazed world we are living in today. The temptations are everywhere the eye roams: television, internet, billboards, magazines, movies, etc. Sex sells so it’s become the dominant theme of marketers worldwide. How can such influence be confronted by the Church?
I just returned from an international mission trip in Eastern Europe. We addressed this issue with a group of about 500 young adults. The mood was serious; each person attentive. We looked at the biblical text, including stories such as David with Bathsheba and Potipher’s wife toward Joseph. We talked about the universality of the temptations that challenge one’s purity. We looked at ways to practically and relationally wrestle this monster to the ground and pin down his shoulders for good. We prayed and worshiped and the challenge to live modestly and purely was given. Some responded positively; others still considering how best to deal with it for themselves.
Without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, purity will never regain strength. The soul on fire with immoral sexual luring will be eaten away one morsel at a time. Spirituality is directly linked to the care of one’s body, including one’s sexual practices. Apparently Paul the Apostle knew this and addressed it with force. Why should we be afraid to do likewise?
This entry also appears in Conversations Journal Blog.
