God's Design for Passion & IntimacySample

Lie #5: Sexual Purity is For Singles

If I told you that someone was coming to speak at your church on the topic of sexual purity, who would you assume to be the target audience? Most likely, you would picture the seats filled with teenagers and single adults. The purity movement has been almost exclusively geared toward this audience. But guess what? The message of sexual purity also applies to those wearing a wedding band.

Temptations of pornography, lustful thoughts, and other sexual sin don’t disappear on your wedding day. Most men and women will face significant sexual temptation at some point in their marriage. For many, it is a daily struggle.

To make matters more confusing, the church is often silent regarding what sexual purity looks like in marriage. So Christians are confused. I’m often asked if it is OK for a husband and wife to view pornography together. Many Christian women have read books like "Fifty Shades of Grey" and feel it is acceptable because they are married.

Husbands and wives wear a different form of purity ring – it’s called a wedding band. It symbolizes the commitment to forsake all others in thought, action and desire.

Hebrews 13:4 says, “Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept pure.” God created sexual intimacy for a husband and wife to find great pleasure and excitement. He has given a married couple a lot of freedom in their enjoyment. However, the call to purity – keeping all sexual thoughts and actions between a husband and wife – is always a guideline and priority.

Whether you are single or married, if you have given your life to Christ, every area of yourself needs to be yielded to His Lordship. That includes your sexuality.

Question to Ponder: Have you ever considered that sexual purity applies to married people, too? How is the Lord prompting you to yield your sexuality to His holiness?