Sexual Purity For Teens In Today’s Culture

Sexual purity for teens in today’s culture

Scriptures Romans 12:1-3, 9-10 and Philippians 4:8-9

Summary A true love will understand and wait for you.

Scripture text Romans

Romans 12:1-3 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.[a] 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Many Gifts but One Body

3 For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one.

Footnotes:

a. Romans 12:1 Or your reasonable service

Romans 12:9-10 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Christian Ethics

9 Love must be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. 10 Show family affection to one another with brotherly love. Outdo one another in showing honor.

1. Romans 12:1-3,9-10

2. God does not make us live for Him, we wants us to do it willingly

a. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (v.1)

b. Living in our culture, we are constantly surrounded by so many things that can prevent us from living the victorious Christian life. Satan would like nothing more than prevent God’s followers from “blowing it”. The mercy of God was loving us in while we were still sinners. The cross is God’s love for us and gives us the opportunity to having a relationship with Him.

c. When we received Jesus Christ by faith, we did not give up freewill, the choice to do right or wrong. That is still intact and as such can be a burden as well as a blessing. If I made my children love me, it wouldn’t be love. Jesus said in John 14:15 that “if we love Him, we should keep His commandments.” One of the greatest opportunities for a Christian witness is that they obey God in whatever he wants us to do whether we are in a crowd or alone.

d. So many of our teenagers today are bombarded with messages of giving in to sexual temptation, whether it be MTV, the Internet, School, Magazines even cell phones have become a weapon of the enemy through “sexting”. Staying pure is not easy but it is possible. God gives us the ability to turn away from sin by giving us a way out of temptation. The problem is that for some, the need to give in to temptation is so much easier than saying no.

e. Peer pressure for a young person is a beast, no one wants to stand out or be made fun of. Offering your body as a living sacrifice means that you recognize that once you received Jesus Christ by faith, the Holy Spirit took up residence.

f. When that happens, our bodies become His home. It would be detrimental to my health by my wife if I decided to come home one day and trash the house. I’m not talking leaving things out, I mean driving holes in the wall, spray painting whatever I want on the living room or furniture, painting the kitchen splotched purple. I would be destroying that which I have been blessed with. Yet, everyday teenagers do this when they allow their bodies to be abused by sex. It trashes not only the home where God takes up residence but the gift God has given to your future spouse.

g. Offering your body as a living sacrifice means saying no to that boy when he pressures you, saying no to the guys when they want you to be like them, saying no to a culture that says you’re a freak when everyone else is doing it. Allow your body to be holy and pleasing to God and no one else.

3. God does not want you to be normal, He wants you different.

a. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind

b. Culture says that to be normal, you need to abandon God’s values. You should be fitting in, going with the crowd, accept what TV says is normal. When did living the life for God become taboo? When did doing the right thing become intolerant? When did being righteous become classified as obsolete?

c. It started when Jesus began sending out His disciples. Listen to what he said In Matthew 10 when He spoke with His disciples: Matthew 10:16-22 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)