Purity in Relationships

The older women are to teach the younger women to be pure. We’ve looked at exhibiting purity by dressing modestly as well as exhibiting purity in our thoughts and actions. This week let’s look at one final aspect of purity: purity in relationships. Many verses in the Bible command us to put off uncleanness, sexual immorality, fornication, adulteries. God’s Word is very clear and specific in regards to physical relationships. God has designed sexual intimacy to be enjoyed in the confines of marriage. Sex is prohibited outside of marriage and absolute fidelity is demanded within marriage.

Whatever state you currently find yourself in, whether single or married, God requires purity in your relationships. In Romans 13, God’s Word tells us to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” Left to our own sinful desires we will struggle to resist temptation. Therefore, we must make a conscious effort to keep from putting ourselves in a position in which we will be vulnerable to temptation. Here are some questions to consider as you think about this area of purity in relationships.

For single women:

• Do I have standards and convictions regarding physical activity in a relationship clearly thought out and written down? Have I based those convictions on God’s Word or my own opinions?
• Am I focusing right now on being who God wants me to be? Am I pursuing godliness?
• Am I making room for the flesh by being alone with my boyfriend?
• Am I making myself accountable to my parents or another authority in my life?
• Am I running away from sexual immorality or am I running to it?
• Are my emails/text messages flirtatious or am I pursuing purity even with my words?
• Am I looking for a relationship to satisfy me?

For married women:

• Am I entertaining thoughts of another man besides my husband?
• Am I careful not to share my husband’s faults/marriage problems with another man?
• Do men in my workplace think of me as flirtatious?
• Am I careful to avoid being alone with another man?
• Do I open myself up emotionally to a man besides my husband?
• Am I toying with sexual immorality by chatting with a man online?
• Am I committed to my husband and pursuing an exciting sexual relationship with him?

When, where and with whom are you most tempted to satisfy your desires and give in to the flesh?   God demands purity of us.  His Word is very clear.  There is no gray area.  He tells us to not make provision for the flesh.  It is imperative that we devise a biblical strategy to keep us from giving in to our sinful desires.  Let’s also be careful to not think that we are above a certain temptation, and remember that God gives the strength to obey what He demands.

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:12-13

Sometimes the way of escape is to avoid temptation in the first place!

Treasures to Share

Passion and Purity: Learning to Bring Your Love Life Under Christ’s Control by Elisabeth Elliot is an excellent book and especially influential for young women who desire to follow God’s command to live a life of purity.

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