Sexual purity—an impossible standard?

The following post is an excerpt from Chasing Love, an upcoming Bible study from Dr. Sean McDowell and True Love Waits.

You may think it’s impossible to remain sexually pure in our sex-saturated world—that’s understandable. But here’s the bottom line: You can do it. Yes, you can follow God’s design for sex, love, and relationships starting today.

We can’t be perfect. Perfection is an impossible standard and will set us up for discouragement, shame, and failure. But if we focus on trusting God and His grace in our daily struggles—understanding that forgiveness and growth is part of the process—then can we follow God’s design for sex, love, and relationships? Absolutely.

I regularly meet teens from around the world who aim to live countercultural lives in obedience to Christ. They resist the cultural narrative about sex and trust God to guide their relationships. Is it always easy? No. Do they fall short at times? Yes.

But remember, as we saw in the early part of our study, doing difficult things is meaningful. Nothing worth having comes easy. You can join the movement of young people choosing to live their lives in obedience to Christ.

While resisting temptation can seem overwhelming, the apostle Paul says we do have the power to resist.

Read 1 Corinthians 10:13.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

In other words, God is the One—through the power of the Holy Spirit and the love of other Christians—who enables us to live faithfully. You have the God of the universe on your side.

NEW from True Love Waits: Chasing Love

Chasing Love is the newest Bible study release from True Love Waits, written by Dr. Sean McDowell. In this study, students are guided through Biblical answers to today’s most pressing questions about sex, love, gender, and relationships.