God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Our calling is to holiness. We are saved to holiness. Now, I have mentioned that our generation needs an example of purity. I want to emphasize that again. Isn’t it interesting that the world really can not let go of ideas like virginity and chastity? You see them celebrated—Sonny and Cher named their child Chastity. I remember that she was a sweet, innocent girl. And we think about it—there are vestiges—but society does not believe in it. And here we are, the holy people of God. We are called to live in a holy way.
But what about our children? Where are our children to learn biblical, holy, true sexuality? It should be from us. It should not be from the world. It should not be from the television. It should not be from the culture. They should see an example in the way their parents relate—not that they are involved in private affairs with their parents—but just the loving tenderness of their interactions ought to show them a holiness and an honour about a man and a woman relating to one another.
Growing up in a church like ours, Christians should see the way that sexuality is holy and honoured, and they should say, I want to be like that. I want to have it. I am aiming high. I am not going to set the bar low. I am going to receive from God what he gives me, and I am going to bring honour in it to him for his glory. We are called to holiness, not for dishonour. And Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4:8 that “whoever disregards this disregards not man, but God.”1
Richard D. Phillips
7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.