safe sex
"The Lord is an Avenger of all such things, as we once indicated to you by our testimony. God has not called us to immorality but to holiness; hence, whoever rejects these instructions rejects, not man, but God Who sends His Holy Spirit upon you." —1 Thessalonians 4:6-8
Sexual purity and spiritual wisdom go hand-in-hand. It's very difficult to be pure unless you are wise. Wisdom alerts us to guard against occasions of sin. Wisdom tells us not even to look lustfully (Mt 5:28). This is a form of adultery that was David's mistake with Bathsheba (2 Sm 11:2). Wisdom tells us not even to mention sexual sin (Eph 5:3-4). "Dirty jokes" and sexual innuendos help the devil tempt us. When we provide ammunition for the evil one and load his gun for him, we're certainly not going to be winners but losers.
We must guard our sexual organs in sanctity and honor, and not live as the pagans (1 Thes 4:4-5). We must strictly resist sexual temptations, no matter how loose and promiscuous the world becomes. We should not try to conform to worldly wisdom but to the word of God. Our goal is to please the Lord and give the world the good news that a life without sexual bondage is God's gift to us. By grace we can be pure as Jesus is pure (1 Jn 3:3), if we are wise enough to be fools in the eyes of the world (1 Cor 3:18).
Prayer: Holy Spirit, may I respect my body as Your temple (1 Cor 6:19).
Promise: "At midnight someone shouted, 'The Groom is here! Come out and greet Him!' " —Mt 25:6
Praise: St. Augustine finally saw that purity was not only more freeing, but possible with God.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our leaflet The Bible on Sex.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 11, 2009
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