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“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” Edmund Burke, Irish orator, philosopher, & politician (1729 - 1797).
Everybody Does It!
Just before the end of the 20th century, when a U.S. president was in hot water for indiscretions with an intern, lies and cover-ups, Mona Charen (a columnist) put a little twist on Burke’s maxim: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men say ‘everybody does it.’”
All politicians were swiped with the “everybody does it” brush in those days.
“Everybody does it” is a gross generalization that poisons the public well. It taints the decent while excusing the indecent. Besides, everybody is not lying, cheating or covering up.
It’s true that all humans fall, one way or another. When some fall, they repent. Others just say, “everybody does it!” Some make promises for good while others make them to get through the day.
“Everybody does it” is childish nonsense. It pressures good people to be bad and makes bad people feel better about being bad. It’s a line an impatient boy might use on a girl hoping she is pretty stupid.
Principles of Purity:
The point is, purity is possible. Perhaps we need to do a better job of getting the principles of purity out on the table.
First, purity is possible for those who stop making excuses. There’s a word for the end of excuses; it’s called “repentance.” All Christianity starts there.
Second, purity is available through the blood of Jesus, poured out for our forgiveness. There’s power for purity in His blood. Hymn writer Lewis E Jones called it “wonder-working power” (1899). Another hymnist, E. A. Hoffman, asked, “Have you been to Jesus for His cleansing power; Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?” He proceeded to call it the “soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb” (1878).
Well, are you?
Earlier still, in 1876, Robert Lowry wrote:
- Oh precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow.
- No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.
The Bible teaches that non-marital sex is immoral, yet truly and forever forgivable for the truly repentant.
Third, purity is sustained by the power of the Holy Spirit living in His intended temple (your body). You cannot stay pure on your own. One way the Spirit sustains our purity is by keeping us convicted of our sins. Jesus said, “…he will convict the world with guilt with regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.” (John 16:8). The Holy Spirit’s presence is not always fun--but is vital for faith. Paul wrote, “Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” (Galatians 5:16). Paul’s mission to the Gentiles was to help them become “...sanctified by the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:16). And in the end, it is the Holy Spirit who gives eternal life. Paul said, “The one who sows to please the Sprit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:8).
These three principles are seen in one passage: “Repent [principle #1] and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins [principle #2, in that Jesus cleanses us with forgiveness on the cross and baptism is our participation in His death, burial and resurrection]. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [principle #3].” (Acts 2:38, principle comments added in brackets).
The Benefits of Purity:
Your purity is the result, not the agent, of your salvation. More saved people on this planet would yield fewer fatherless children born to unwed mothers and fewer divorces. Abortion and crime rates would soar downward. With less sexual chaos, social bonds of many kinds would strengthen. Children would be more secure under the authority umbrella of those who love them most. They would claim a legacy of values and knowledge and emerge into life from much higher ground than those who had no taste of salvation in their homes.
Pre-marital virginity is an honorable gift to give to the one you marry. It lays a tremendous foundation for trust and value in each other, though these can also grow through forgiveness. It offers confident security regarding physical diseases too. What a wonderful gift! By a significant margin, fewer partners who live together before marriage, stay together after marriage. Couples living together should be told honestly that they may well be cheating themselves as well as their future partners.
The Dangers of Impurity:
Sex was meant to be powerful. What is "addictive" to those without shared commitments is "bonding" for those who do. All the evidence affirms that those who live on the power of hope and marry as virgins are far more faithful through their marriages than those who don't. Married people struggling with unfaithfulness have identified to me past patterns of sexual misbehavior as factors leading to their present harmful actions.
Promiscuity, incest, homosexuality and a wide range of sexual chaos have torn apart the basic shared assumptions which are essential for dating and/or marriage. The problem is worse than appearances would indicate. Pre-marital sex can potentially break down the strength of sex in marriage as "spiritual glue." When partners come together with previous "experience," the sense of awe and wonder may lessen. This can foster an unhealthy tendency to make comparisons related to "performance."
Inappropriate bonding can lead to miserable tearing, never meant for the human heart. Scars remain. Recovery is tough. Some never recover emotionally. They are the walking wounded or the chronically angry. I know pain is part of life and dealing with it is crucial to our character, but it is immoral to behave in pain-producing ways expecting those we hurt to just deal with it. It is unethical to knowingly separate the sex act from the heart and its longings.
Final Thought:
On my first and only honeymoon, my wife and I met an older couple from England at a Bed & Breakfast. We conversed over such things as politics, art, tattoos, body-piercing and circumcision. When the conversation turned to Lady Diana, they dismissed her as a stupid girl who could have been queen had she only put up with her husband’s affairs. They approved of adultery outright. To justify this, the elderly wife claimed, “everybody does it!”
Later, my lovely bride told me, “Everybody that is, buster, EXCEPT YOU!“
In other words, in our marriage, we believe that purity--to the exclusion of adultery--is not only possible, it is mandatory!
The apostle Paul gets the last word: “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.” (1 Thessalonians 4:7).
For a related articles in a previous issue, see:
- Passionate for Purity, by Jason Locke
- Give a Rip, by Joel Mark Solliday
Joel Mark Solliday , B.A., M.Div., is the editor of Campus CrossWalk and the pulpit minister of the Brooklyn Center Church of Christ in Minnesota. A Pepperdine graduate, he later worked in their Campus Life Office and at ACU as a Missionary in Residence. He earned his M.Div. at Fuller Theological Seminary.
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