Daily Hope with Rick Warren 27 June 2024, Thursday Devotional Message
Sexual Purity Begins With a Commitment
By Rick Warren
“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.” – Psalm 119:9 (NIV)
Is it possible in the 21st century to live a sexually pure life? To refrain from sex before marriage and stay faithful during marriage?
Yes! But it has to start with a commitment.
The Bible says, “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word” (Psalm 119:9 NIV). To be sexually pure in the 21st century (or any century), you’ll need a standard to live by. You can either build your standard by yourself or choose God’s standard. You must decide whether God knows more about what’s best for your life than you do.
God says several things in his Word that aren’t popular, particularly when it comes to sex. Why does he say those things? He knows more about sex than you do. He also understands the implications far better than you do. You have to decide that, even when you don’t understand it, you don’t like it, and when it’s not popular, you’re going to do what God’s Word says, regardless of what you think or what your friends think.
Until you’re willing to make that kind of commitment, you’re not ready to be pure in an impure world. You can only be pure by following God’s standard.
God thought up sex. It was his idea, but he did put a few parameters around it. His standard has never changed. It’s very clear, regardless of opinion polls or anything else.
Sex is far more than physical. It’s a spiritual act with physical, social, legal, and emotional consequences. If sex were just physical, it’d be like a handshake. It wouldn’t matter who you had sex with. But sex is more than physical.
The Bible makes it clear that sex is exclusively reserved for a husband and a wife who are committed to one another in a marriage. Anything outside of that, like sex before marriage and sex outside of marriage, will have profound consequences on your emotions and your spiritual life, and it may even physically harm you.
God’s standards are in your best interest. If you want to live by them—and avoid all the negative consequences that come from living outside of them—it starts with a commitment.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>
Talk It Over
- Why is it important to make a commitment to God’s standard for sexual purity before you get into a situation where you are tempted?
- What is it about society that makes it even harder to turn away from sexual temptation?
- What are some of the consequences of sexual sin?
Have you committed your life to Jesus?
No matter what you’ve done or where you’ve been, God is ready to forgive you if you’ll just confess your sins and commit to living the way God created you to live.
The Bible says you can’t earn your way into heaven. You can only get there by trusting in God’s Son, Jesus Christ: “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).
If you’re ready to commit your life to Jesus, start by praying this prayer:
“Dear God, you have promised that if I believe in your Son, Jesus Christ, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, and you will accept me into your eternal home in heaven one day.
“I confess I have sinned, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus died to take away my sins and that you raised him to life. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow him as Lord from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
If you just prayed to accept Jesus, please email me at Rick@PastorRick.com and let me know about it. I’d like to send you some free materials to help you start your journey with Jesus.
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