Every now and then at church, or for a student group, I prepare a half page handout to go along with the message. One of these brief handouts is below. Hopefully it can be of help to some.
Too often churches and parents are silent about reasons to wait until marriage to have sex. Too often teenagers and adults do not know the reasons to wait, or they need to be reminded of them.
Why Wait?
Reasons to wait until marriage to have sex.
1. Sex is a gift from God and He only intended it between the marriage of one man and one woman. (Mark 10:6-9)
2. Having sex with a person creates a kind of “oneness” that God intended only for marriage. (1 Corinthians 6:16)
3. To have a clean conscience and no worries. Don’t have to worry about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), pregnancy, or the embarrassment of seeing former boyfriends, girlfriends, at school, church, work. Abstinence is the only 100% reliable method of prevention of STDs and pregnancy.
4. To test the commitment of the other person. Some promise marriage just to get sex.
5. You cannot grow as a Christian if you are having sex outside of marriage.
6. To be clearheaded when you are making important decisions, especially about dating and marriage.
7. To increase your chance of a happy, lasting marriage. People who have sex before marriage and those who live together before marriage have a higher rate of divorce.
8. To avoid the heartbreak, regret, and anger that sex outside of marriage brings. Many people regret it. They feel used and worthless because they gave away something precious.
When we sin, if we confess our sin to God, He promises to forgive (1 John 1:9). But He does not promise to take away the consequences of our sin. As one young woman told Josh McDowell, “Yes, God forgives, but the scars remain.” God’s plan A is don’t sin; His plan B is if we sin He still loves us and is willing to forgive (1 John 2:1).
Stay away from tempting situations.
Flee sexual immorality. -1 Corinthians 6:18.
Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; he who does so destroys his own soul. Wounds and dishonor he will get, and his reproach will not be wiped away. -Proverbs 6:32-33
-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, April 19, AD 2010.
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David, this is a vital message that should be taught frequently in churches and especially in youth groups. I think part of the problem with so much teen sex is that kids are confused as to what is right and wrong. Parents allow and even condone sexually explicit videos in the home. They don't talk to their kids about sex and how it is to be a beautiful gift to a marriage partner. So many problems could be avoided in life with sex if children were taught abstinence and why it is important to abstain. selahV
ReplyDeleteSelahV,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, and I agree.
Parents, grandparents, pastors, and church leaders need to be crystal clear on this issue.
They also need to speak to this issue on a regular basis. Too often a pastor thinks, I covered that a couple of years ago. He doesn't realize he's got a different audience who needs to hear it again.
David R. Brumbelow