10 Rules for a Better Life (#7)

"You shall not commit adultery." Exodus 20:14

Before you make the mistake of thinking that God only cares about your sex life after you are married, let me give you another verse:

"Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." Hebrews 13:4

Whether you are married or not, God demands that we respect the marriage relationship that He initiated. And what you do before you find a husband or wife is just as important as what you do afterward.

Perhaps you are someone who does not like to be told what to do or not do with your own body. Perhaps you think, "It's my body; I can do whatever I want with it!" If not, you are probably surrounded by people at your school or your community who think this way.

Well, in a way, we can do whatever we want. We all make choices and God has shown that He does not stop us from making the stupid choice even if we're directly disobeying Him. However, just because we may want to do certain things, doesn't mean we'll be happier if we go through with them.
Think of your life as one long road. Time is always passing, so you are always moving along the road. And every time you have to make a decision, you come to a fork in the road or an intersection (usually there are more than two options). Almost 100% of the time we try to pick the road that will lead us to the most joy or happiness or away from the most pain or discomfort.

Now stop and think for a moment. So far, how well do you think you've done at choosing the road that leads to the most happiness and away from the most pain? Probably not as well as you would like. We don't always know where our decisions will lead, but we do know that we can't ever go back and fix our mistakes. We have to live with the consequences of our actions, whether good or bad.

But God knows every single outcome for every decision we make. And guess what, He WANTS good things for you. In fact, God wants the BEST things for you. He wants you to grow up to have a job doing something you enjoy. He wants you to have a great marriage and a caring family (yes, some Christians never get married and that's fine, too).

So when God says not to have sex outside of marriage, remember that He is trying to help us stay on the road that leads to more happiness and joy. Again, God knows where all the roads lead. And the road of sexual purity leads people to strong relationships, marriages, and families characterized by trust, mutual respect, and genuine love and appreciation for each other.

The alternative is sexual immorality or promiscuity. That road may feel easy now as you just do whatever feels good with whomever you want whenever you want. But God knows where that one leads, too. It leads to broken relationships riddled with guilt, jealousy, and disrespect. It also leads to STDs, unplanned pregnancies, abortions, single parents, dropping out of school, and basically a ruined life.

There are basically two roads here and God is trying to tell you through His Word, "Take the first road, it's better. Trust me, I know."

Yeah, the road of sexual purity goes uphill and it's harder to climb, but the reward at the top is definitely worth it.

However, the road of sexual immorality may start easy enough, but it goes downhill fast until you lose control and slide down to a dark, depressing place where I guarantee nobody wants to be.Even if you think you can "be careful" and avoid contracting a disease or getting pregnant: 1.) Is it really worth the risk of giving up the plans you have for the rest of your life? 2.) Do you really think you'll be able to have a good marriage with someone when both of you have already given your bodies to several other people?

And for those of you who have been reading along and think that you have fully kept this commandment, remember Jesus' words:

"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Mathew 5:27-28

What we look at and what we think about are just as important as what we do with our bodies. God is not just interested in our outward actions, but He cares about our thoughts and attitudes even more. In order to remain faithful to your current or future spouse (and to God), you must be sexually pure inside and out.

And nothing cleanses better than than the blood of Jesus Christ. It's true, we all make mistakes. Even though we'll have to live with the consequences of our decisions, there is still forgiveness for any sin we have committed through the death and resurrection of God's Son.

Whatever road you're on now, Jesus can guide you back to the one that leads to the joy and fulfillment that can only be found in the One who created you in the first place.