The Way is Narrow

Promiscuous sex is like a transaction without a receipt: you can't take it back. Marriage, a covenant assurance of faithfulness, imparts trust, reliability and true satisfaction. Even if sex with someone other than your lifelong spouse didn't affect your soul, it cannot establish contentment. Without a legal agreement, pain, frustration and broken trust is within easy reach. It's called compromise. If one compromises their own sexual purity, there is nothing to prevent other compromises from being made. No matter what someone's intentions, laws have been logically established in this world to provide assurance, security and fairness, and to hamper manipulation, exploitation and duplicity.

But short-sightedness and the urge to fulfil short-term desires is overpowering in both a physical and emotional sense. When I was younger, dad told me a story about two guys from different companies at a conference. They were both in the bathroom at the same time, taking a leak. When one had finished, he washed his hands, but the other guy didn't, and began to walk out. "Where I come from," said the first guy, "they taught us to wash our hands after taking a pee."
"Well," responds the other, "where I come from, they taught us not to pee on our hands."
The moral?
Prevention sure beats recovery ^L^

The same is true of any morally questionable situation. If the consequences are too great, then don't compromise - the best prevention is avoiding a situation altogether, where the possibility for grievous error exists. Take, for instance, a guy and a girl who are dating each other. If they sit in one or the other's room with the door shut, that is not only testing your mettle - ultimately, a stupid thing to do - but who, aside from the two of you and God, knows truly what is occurring behind that door? Rules are important - even moreso, avoiding "every kind of evil"* not only quells gossip but shows strength of character and wisdom.

*1 Thess. 5:22 actually refers to how we should treat prophecies, but it is only wise to avoid any questionable circumstances when given the choice.

I ask God daily to bless my future relationship with my wife. In faithfulness He promises to pour out blessing. If we keep our eyes on the goal, staying on the narrow path set before us, allowing the world's distractions to slide past without effect - we are robots. No, lol, we are retaining righteousness. God has promised to bless us for staying true - when we don't succumb to the temptations of this world, nor bow to the pressures of youth and the urges of hormonal human nature, I'll bet God Almighty is mighty pleased with us. As a single person, patience is very important - never losing sight of God's blessings isn't enough to give you daily strength, but drawing on the Holy Spirit and frequently recalling God's promise to bless and reward such patience, really helps to maintain resolve and stay on the straight path ^^

How do you stay strong and true, then? Through dedication, determination and discipline - a daily recommitment and reminder of future rewards. The benefits far outweigh the consequences for slipping and the pain of not giving in. Always remember the benefits, and thank God for long-term vision and patience.

The reward is worth the cost.

-Timotheos
Waiting to Unite