Keeping Sexual Purity? Your're Kidding!
1 comment | Posted by Monica Hu on 05 Sep 2009 in Parenting :: Prayers
I was a bit overwhelmed by the news on this week’s newspapers:
- The extra-marital affair leading to the resignation of the NSW Health Minister (1 Sep).
- The trial of Brimble manslaughter (2 Sep)
- The trial of a man accused of murdering his boyfriend (3 Sep)
What are they in common?
Sexual immorality is one of the most dreaded possibility for our children’s lives, next to catastrophic injury, death, … “Abortion”, “out-of-wedlock”, “infidelity”, “homosexuality”, “sexually transmitted disease”, and “AIDS’ are frightening words to “conservative” parents. Consequences of sexual immorality are far too great that our children can bear. The results of sexual sin last a lifetime – often for the parents as well as the child.
Sexual temptation is everywhere. It is on the billboards, TV; in the movies, popular music, books and magazines; in the electronic games and on the internet. Our children are bombarded by it without any option at all. We are only burying our heads in the sand if we are thinking that our children cannot be tempted.
In last Sunday’s sermon, Rev Steve Layson brought up the topic of how we view sex in God’s way (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5). As adults with years of life experience we can comprehend and accept the scripture without problem, but how shall we deliver the message (1 Corinthians 6:18 & 1 Peter 2:11) effectively to our dear children?
“Keeping sexual purity ? You’re absolutely kidding!”
Yes, chastity and sexual purity are very “old-fashioned”, “out-of-date” and “daggy” in the eyes of many young people. Their minds are now filled with all kinds of sexual temptations and they can’t wait to gain their first experience.
Boys feel that they are dwarves if they have no sex experience when they’re 18. Girls feel it a shameful mark if they don’t have had an intimate relationship before they turn 16. Boys and girls are carrying score cards in school grounds trying to be the champions among their peers.
“Virgin” may be seen as linked to olive oil, mobile phone, or the airline company, at the end of the day.
I was also in awe to read this piece of news on the Sunday Telegraph (30 Aug), Teens warned on safe sex as infections rise.
A surge in sexually transmissible infection rates has prompted the NSW Government to revive the safe-sex message for teenagers and young adults.
About 17,000 cases of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV were reported to health authorities last year, with about half occurring in people aged 18 to 25.
My surprise didn’t come from the rising infection figures, but the slogan of the new $1.5 million campaign that our government was launching on last Sunday – “Get tested, play safe”.
The government is sending out the message to the public, “It’s OK to play (with sex), but these are the precautions”.
“See your doctor for an STI check every time you change regular partners,” said the chairwoman of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners NSW and ACT faculty.
In the midst of all these progressive views towards sex, what can we do as parents for the protection of our children?
They need us interceding on their behalf – to pray for them to trust God and not their unreliable emotions, so that they will walk with wisdom and avoid this dangerous trap. For “each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:14-15 NIV).
The foundation of sexual purity must be laid at a very young age. We can’t wait until our children are teenagers to pray about this. Start praying for your children (whether they are 3 or 33, a virgin or sexually active) today to live God’s way – a life of sexual purity from this day forward.
“Why leave your child’s life to chance when you can give it to God?” – Stormie Omartian, author of The Power of a Praying Parent.
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1 Matthew Davies :: 05/09/09 08:15 PM
I think sex is the big area where Christians are called to be radical, especially the young. ‘Conservative’ parents are actually called to teach a radical message to their kids. The world tells them they cannot be ‘fulfilled’ until they’ve had sex, the government tells them to be ‘medically responsible’ but God has made us in his image, he loves us and wants us to honour him with our bodies.