WHY LIVE BY Bible Standards?

IS the Bible's view regarding sex old-fashioned and needlessly restrictive? No. On the contrary, the Bible's view of sex can help us avoid:

*Sexually transmitted diseases

*Out-of-wedlock pregnancies

* The painful consequences of broken marriages

* A guilty conscience

*The degradation of being used by others

Our Creator, Jehovah God, wants us to enjoy and benefit from the use of his gifts. God is "the One teaching you to benefit yourself." (Isaiah 48:17) A person who lives by the Bible's guidelines on sex gains: 

*God's approval

*Peace of mind

*Stronger family relationships

*A good reputation

*Self-respect

What, though, if you are not currently living by the Bible's moral standards?  Is it possible for you to change your lifestyle?  Will God hold your past against you?

Consider this fact:  Some who made up  the first-century Christian congregation were formerly fornicators, adulterers, and homosexuals. The chose to change their lifestyle, and they reaped great benefits.  (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) Today, thousands of individuals throughout  the world have made a similar choice.  They have freed themselves  from a promiscuous lifestyle and have experienced  the benefits of bringing their  conduct into harmony with the Bible's standards. Note, for example, the experience of Sarah, mentioned in the opening article.

Next time: WHY LIVE BY Bible Standards? -"I Quickly Felt Relief"

From the Watchtower magazine, 2011