A GODLY VIEW OF MORAL CLEANNESS

Benefiting From God's Moral Laws

To obey Jehovah's direction about sexual conduct can be a challenge for imperfect humans.  The famous 12th-century Jewish philosopher Malmonides wrote: "No prohibition in all the Torah [Mosaic Law]  is as difficult to keep as that of forbidden unions and illicit sexual relations."  yet, if we obey God's direction, we benefit greatly.  (Isaiah 48:18) For example, obedience in this matter helps to protect us from sexually transmitted diseases, some of which have no cure and can kill.  We are protected from out-of-wedlock pregnancies.  Applying  Godly wisdom also contributes to a clean conscience.  Doing so promotes self-respect and earns the respect of others, including our relatives, our mates, our children and our Christian brothers and sisters.  It likewise promotes in us a healthy, positive attitude toward sex that will contribute to happiness in marriage.  Wrote one Christian woman: "The truth of God's Word is the best protection that is.  I am waiting to be married, and when I am I'll be proud to tell the Christian man I marry that I've remained chaste.

By our maintaining chaste conduct, we can also do much to counter misconceptions  about true worship and attract people to the God we worship.  The apostle Peter wrote:  "Maintain your conduct fine among the nations, that,  in the thing in which they are speaking against you as evildoers, they may as a result of your fine works of which they are eyewitnesses glorify God in the day for his inspection."  ( 1 Peter 2:12) Even if those who do not serve Jehovah fail to recognize or approved of our chaste conduct, we can be certain that our heavenly Father sees, approves, and even rejoices in our efforts to follow his direction. -Proverbs 27:11; Hebrews 4:13.

Faith in God involves confidence that he knows what is best for us, even if we do not fully grasp all the reasons why he directs us in the way that he does.  Consider an example from the Mosaic Law.  One regulation regarding military encampments required that excrement be buried outside the camp.  (Deuteronomy 23:13, 14)  Perhaps the Israelites wondered about the reason for such direction; some may have thought it unnecessary.   Since then, however, medical science has come to recognize that this law helped keep the water sources free from contamination and provided protection from many illnesses carried by insects.  Similarly, there are spiritual, social, emotional, physical and psychological reasons why God has limited sexual relations to the marriage bed.  Let us now consider a few Bible examples of those who maintained moral cleanness.

Next time: Joseph-Blessed for His Moral Conduct

Watchtower, 2000